Rejection of Fate
by Spunky0ne
Summary: After Aizen's fall, an artifact he gave Orihime causes a reality shift so Aizen becomes king. Made Aizen's consort, Byakuya learns the truth, and sends word to a band of freedom fighters about what really happened...mpreg, multiple pairings.
1. The Contingency Plan

**Chapter 1: The Contingency Plan**

Ex-Captain Sousuke Aizen sat, bound, blindfolded and gagged in his cell in the lowest level of the Central 46 prisons.

_The darkness_, he thought, _the silence…the lack of ability to connect to anything with my senses...it would work together to drive me to despair, or to madness, even._

But that would only be appropriate for a man without hope. And Sousuke Aizen still clung to hope.

The reason was still clear in his mind.

_"Orihime," he whispered into the girl's ear, "I am a careful man…and knowing that I have many enemies, even among my friends, I will entrust something to you."_

_He hung the tiny artifact on a silver chain around her neck._

"_If anyone asks you," he whispered, watching her quiver as his breath touched her skin, "then you are to tell them that it was a gift from your brother before he died…and you recently found it after thinking it was lost."_

_He placed her under a deep hypnosis, then sent her back to her chambers, none the wiser for what she carried with her._

"And now…you will respond to my instructions. And the travesty that occurred will be undone…"

He smiled beneath the coverings on his face and waited calmly.

_It will not be long…_

XXXXXXXXXX

Renji opened the door to the sixth division and walked inside, still limping slightly, but overall, still feeling pretty good, for his first day back after the end of the war. He was unsurprised that Byakuya was not at his desk. He _was_ somewhat surprised that the noble had been discharged from the hospital, after the injuries he had suffered, first at Yammy's hands, and then amidst his and Captain Zaraki's private battle. But then, that was definitely Byakuya's way…never the easy way, for himself or for anyone else. In older days, Renji would have been miffed at that, but having served as Byakuya's vice captain for some time now, it had taken on a feeling of normality.

Renji spotted the slightly open door leading into Byakuya's quarters and felt a bit of relief that he was following Captain Unohana's recommendations to some extent by remaining in bed while he worked. He smiled to himself and passed by the door on the way to the squad kitchen, where he fixed a couple of cups of hot green tea and walked back to the noble's room.

"Hello, Captain," he greeted Byakuya, walking into the room and closing the door behind him.

"Renji," the noble acknowledged, not looking up.

Renji set the tea down on the nightstand and took his own cup of tea, then took the unspoken invitation of the stack of papers Byakuya had left for him on the other side of the bed. He slipped out of his shoes and sat cross-legged on the bed, picking up the first of the reports. He read quietly, watching Byakuya out of the corner of an eye as the noble read. He loved being this close to his captain, breathing in the scent of sakura, taking in the sight of the long black strands that spilled down onto his shoulders, the pretty gray eyes that mostly looked solemn or stern, but sometimes teased him by betraying calm curiosity, and the pale, slender hands that shifted the papers in front of him and added perfectly formed words to the pages. He had decided some time ago that the only thing that would make it better than it was, would be if Byakuya began to notice him in the same way.

He had started to indulge in quiet fantasies sometimes, where he would be watching Byakuya out of the corner of one eye like that…and he saw the noble studying him in the same way. He daydreamed that his captain's more frequent need to have Renji working alongside him at his desk meant that Byakuya_ had_ noticed him…noticed him and was sending sweet, quiet signals back in his direction.

He chuckled softly, remembering the day he had realized that Byakuya _was_ watching him that way…_had been_ for some time. And even desiring it as much as Renji had, he had somehow missed the tentative signs. He had been leaning back in his chair, giving Byakuya secret sidelong glances, and during one of those sweeping glances, their eyes connected and he instantly fell over backwards in his chair. He had explained it away, of course, but both of them knew. It became a sort of game between them ever since…one that seemed to grow in intensity as the winter war loomed ahead of them.

And then, Renji had left for Hueco Mundo…

And just having returned, they were alone together for the first time after. And Renji was wondering if the games were just going to continue, or if the open door he had found that day meant more than just a request for tea.

"I didn't know you found troop movement reports so amusing," Byakuya commented at the sound of his soft chuckle.

"Huh?" he mumbled, looking up, "Oh…sorry. I was just thinking about something Rukia said."

"Hmmm."

He finished the page he was reading and signed off on it, then reached for another…just as Byakuya's hand extended to add another report to the stack in front of him. Their hands only touched for a moment, but the impact felt like that of a double barrel kido blast to Renji. His heart throbbed painfully in his chest, and he felt an odd tickle in his stomach. He could feel that he had broken out in a sweat and he felt the soft swell of an oncoming erection. He knew he must be blushing and hoped he wasn't too obvious. He peeked at Byakuya out of the corner of his eye and froze.

_He's…blushing too!_

The noble continued to read silently, but Renji could feel the gentle quiver in his reiatsu and could see that the hand that held the page he was reading was trembling softly.

_I wonder why he doesn't do something…_

_We've been going on and on like this for a long time, but neither of us has taken the next step. I know my reasons…number one, he's noble and I'm not, number two, he's my captain, number three…_

"Renji?"

For some reason, the way Byakuya said his name made his heart start pounding and heat flash all over his face. He struggled to keep his voice steady as he answered.

"Yes, Captain?"

Byakuya took a long, quiet inhale, like he did when he was about to say something he didn't want to have to say. And Renji wondered for a moment, if everything that he had thought was going on had just been in his head, and Byakuya had only now realized that his vice captain had fallen head over heels in love with him…and he had to break Renji's heart, but really didn't want to. He held his breath and made himself look Byakuya in the eyes. What he saw there stopped his heart in his chest.

"I made myself a promise as I watched you and Rukia leave for Hueco Mundo," he said quietly, "that once Aizen was defeated and we all came back safely, I would speak to you about something. It has actually been on my mind for some time, but I wasn't sure what the right course of action would be."

Renji swallowed hard, thinking fast, but unable to think of a thing to say.

"I take it by your silence that you know what I am talking about?"

"Oh…kami, Captain, I _hope_ I do!" he said in a nervous laugh.

Then he froze up again at the realization that he had said those words out loud. He was too scared to look at Byakuya's face again. He blushed and looked down at his hands and was still looking there, when a soft, pale hand came to rest on his.

"It is strange, isn't it?" Byakuya went on, "With everyone else, you are so loud and excitable, but when it comes to the two of us…alone as we are now, you are…different. At first, I thought that it meant you weren't comfortable with me, but…perhaps I was mistaken about that?"

Renji managed a weak smile, but couldn't quite meet the dark, pretty eyes that had fixed on him.

"I am comfortable with you, Captain. It's just that…well, when I'm with those other friends, it's for having fun and burning off stress. When I'm with you, it's more like…like turning a corner and suddenly finding myself in a quiet, pretty garden. I just want to breathe in the smell of the flowers and I'm quiet so that I can hear the koi splashing in the ponds, you know?"

Byakuya's face broke into such a sweet, pleased expression that he couldn't avoid looking anymore. He was almost smiling and his eyes were widened and curious, almost childlike.

"What a lovely analogy," the noble said, his soft fingers lacing together with Renji's rougher ones, "Is that really how you feel when you are with me?"

Renji nodded.

"I am glad to hear that," Byakuya went on, "Or actually, I am relieved. I was uncertain what your silence meant. But there was something in the way you looked at me, Renji. So…I wanted to ask you before, but I couldn't seem to find the right way. And when I realized that it was inevitable that you were going after Orihime Inoue…and once you were gone, we would not be likely to see each other again this way until after the war, I promised myself that I would tell you what had been on my mind and inquire if perhaps you felt the same. I know you have quite a few friends, but I wasn't sure if you had made promises to any of them…"

"Are you asking if I'm 'seeing' anyone, Captain?" Renji asked, his smile widening, "Because, if you are, then the answer is no. My friends are all just…friends. I'm not seeing anyone romantically."

"I see."

The noble bit his lip softly, gathering himself. Renji's heart skipped at the sight of _the_ Byakuya Kuchiki, trying to summon the nerve to ask him out.

"And…do you…have a preference for male or female company?"

And finally, all of the nervous tension inside Renji dropped away. He sensed that the right moment had come and discarded his shyness.

"Captain?" he said, looking the noble in the eyes and tightening his fingers where they had become entangled them with Byakuya's, "I prefer…_your_ company."

Byakuya let out a relieved breath, lowered his eyes, and the corners of his mouth turned upwards.

"You do?" Byakuya said very softly.

"Yeah," said Renji, bringing Byakuya's hand to his lips and kissing it lightly.

Byakuya froze and remained perfectly still as Renji leaned towards him and brought their lips together. There was a long, breathless moment at the end of that first kiss, where their eyes were locked and neither moved. Then, Renji released him and sat up, lifting the stack of papers off the bed and setting it on the nightstand. They paused as thunder boomed softly outside and they could hear the wind rushing through the trees and rain beginning to fall. A moment later, the lights in the room flickered and died.

They sat, gazing at each others' shadowed faces in the semidarkness and smiling.

"It seems that the forces that be are working in our favor, ne?" said Byakuya, gracing Renji with a genuine smile that melted the redhead's heart.

"Looks like," Renji answered, leaning forward to capture the noble's lips in a longer, deeper kiss, "I think we should take the hint. We've played around with the idea for long enough, right?"

"I think so," Byakuya agreed.

They fell silent, exchanging slow, deep kisses, as they loosened each others' clothes, so that more of their skin touched as they continued to kiss. Byakuya laid down against the pillows, gazing up at Renji as the redhead leaned over him and opened his yukata. He left the fine cloth spread out around the noble's body, then shrugged off his uniform and moved forward to lie down beside Byakuya. He felt a light tugging on his hair, and then his hair tie came out and the long, thick strands of red hair dropped down around his shoulders.

Byakuya's eyes took on that cute, curious look again, and his slender, graceful fingers began to trace Renji's tattoos. He continued to touch and explore them, as Renji's mouth left his, and the redhead moved on to taste the soft flesh of his captain's white throat. And there was, he found, something very erotic about kissing this part of Byakuya that was so often concealed. He could tell by the soft sounds Byakuya made, that the noble was sensitive there, so he rubbed his lips and then his hair over the area, and he felt the noble's body shiver softly. He kissed his way down the noble's collarbone, then let his head rest for a moment on Byakuya's chest, listening to the fast beat of his heart and letting his hand slide down over the man's soft abdomen. His fingers followed the line of fine black hairs down to a nest of black curls, and were nearly to the noble's swollen member, when Byakuya sat up suddenly, bringing Renji up with him. His hand reached for something in a drawer in the nightstand as he met Renji's eyes warily.

"I'm sorry if I startled you," Byakuya apologized, "but…it seems we were moving forward quickly, and…"

"Oh," said Renji, pulling away, and trying not to look disappointed, "I uh…I'm sorry, Captain. You just…smell really good, and your skin tastes wonderful…and I can't seem to stop touching you. I didn't mean to move too quickly. Sorry."

"No," said Byakuya, shaking his head, "It isn't that at all."

"Huh?"

"Renji, I want very much to…to _be_ with you…now. But…if we are going to do that, then we should be cautious. Because I am noble and a clan leader, even if I am with a male partner, one of us could become pregnant. But I have a charm that will prevent it."

He held up a small silver pendant and chain.

"I just need to know who should wear it," he said, peering through a pretty fall of tumbled, black hair, "Whoever…um…"

"Bottoms?" Renji said, laughing softly at the heavy flush the word brought to the noble's cheeks.

Byakuya caught his breath as Renji's hand wrapped around the wrist of the hand that held the charm. The dark gray eyes looked up into his with an almost frightened expression.

"I've waited over forty years to be with you like this…Byakuya Kuchiki," he said, tightening his hand, "And sometimes, I thought we would never be together this way. But now that we are…we are staying together. Now that you are mine, I am never letting you get away from me! So we don't need to worry about that, do we? Unless…unless you are just playing with me?"

Byakuya stared into the almost feral, red-brown eyes and slowly his trembling hand opened and let the charm fall away onto the floor.

"You're sure then?" Renji asked him.

Byakuya bit his lip and nodded, his eyelids teasing Renji with a soft flutter.

"When you left for Hueco Mundo, all I could think of is how stupid I felt because I had let my pride keep me from approaching you. And even though I told myself you would come back, I…I was worried that I wouldn't get the chance to say the words. I have loved you for a very long time, Renji. And I thought you might feel the same, but I was afraid to say anything, because if you didn't feel the same, then I knew you might leave the division, that it would make you too uncomfortable to work with me after such a confession. I am sorry. I should have been more trusting of what I felt."

"It's okay," Renji said, shaking his head, "We waited a long time, but we both came back alive, and we've said the words now. So, let's not worry about what happens next. As long as we're together, it will be good, right?"

Byakuya nodded.

"But…if we are going to throw caution to the wind, then who should be the one to risk…?"

Renji laughed heartily.

"I don't care! Top, bottom, you, me…I've got a great idea, Captain. Let's just get pregnant together!"

"Renji, that's scandalous! We're not even properly wed!"

The redhead laughed again and pinned the noble's body beneath his.

"So we'll get married tomorrow," he said grinning, "I love you, Captain."

Byakuya fought himself completely disarmed and smiling helplessly.

"I love you too, Renji," he managed, as Renji's mouth descended on his.

He moaned softly as Renji's fingers found his hardness.

"Mmmmm, Renji?" he sighed.

"Hmmm?"

He flinched as a searching finger traced a sensitive area, then slowly invaded.

"Did you really mean it when you said we could be married tomorrow?" he asked softly.

Renji gave another soft laugh.

"Sure," he said, sucking the noble's tongue into his mouth and kissing him harder, "Today, tomorrow…whenever you want. Just as long as you know that you are never getting away from me."

"I don't want to get away from you, Renji," Byakuya said, panting softly as another rough, wet finger joined the first in preparing him, "We've wasted enough time…ah…hah, so…ah…tomorrow, I'll inform…the council."

"You do that," whispered Renji, hooking his fingers and coaxing a hard, gasping moan from between the noble's parted lips.

He bent and pleasured his captain's nether region as he added a third finger.

"Ah…!" Byakuya hissed, wincing.

"Sorry," Renji managed, the words muffled.

His fingers retreated slowly, then he nudged the noble's creamy thighs apart and sank down between them. He looked down at Byakuya's sweetly flushed face and smiled.

"Renji," Byakuya said breathlessly, "I hope you meant what you said before."

"Course I did."

"Because…clan leaders tend to be…exceptionally…fertile. We…often have multiple births. I cannot quite make myself believe you would want…"

"Bring 'em on," Renji laughed, "I grew up in Inuzuri in a group of kids all struggling together to stay alive. I think a big family would be great."

"Really?" Byakuya said, shivering as Renji began his entry.

He buried his face in the redhead's shoulder and throat, tightening his hold on Renji's shoulders.

"Relax," Renji said, teasing the noble's lips with his tongue, "I'll go slow, so it won't hurt too much."

"I'm fine," said Byakuya, sounding somewhat offended, "It can't be any more painful than taking a sword in the heart, ne?"

Renji giggled and shook his head, then began to push inside him in small, short thrusts. Byakuya's body relaxed beneath his and the noble's eyes widened and went hazy as he was taken. And if Renji had thought he was beautiful, fully dressed and decorated with the markers of rank and nobility, he was a thousand times more so, lying completely naked and undone, his pretty, white skin flushed, his fingers clenching Renji's shoulders and his hair tumbled in wild swirls around his head.

He had meant to give the both of them time to catch their breath once he was fully engaged, but the noble shifted restlessly beneath him, moaning and sighing at the feel of having Renji joined with him. Unable to hold themselves back after so many years of waiting, the two loosed their reiatsu, stirring the air around them as they thrust against each other, exchanging hard kisses and moaning heatedly into each other's mouths. Byakuya's fingernails ran slowly down the redhead's tattooed back and his hands curved around Renji's thrusting hips, and moving with them. Renji abandoned restraint and his movements became hard and fast, bringing him swiftly to breathlessness as Byakuya's moans rose into hungry, beautiful cries of pleasure. His thrusting member found the cluster of nerves inside the noble and sent him from extreme pleasure into absolute bliss. He held onto the redhead tightly, biting down on Renji's shoulder as he climaxed. Renji shuddered and moaned loudly, loosing his release, then collapsed onto him, and rested his tired head on the noble's sweat-slicked shoulder. They went quiet then, relaxing, catching their breath and listening to the rain falling outside.

"So…" Renji said, finally breaking the silence, "Was it worth waiting forty years for?"

Byakuya chuckled softly.

"I was a fool to wait so long to say something," he whispered, kissing the redhead's earlobe, "But yes…I would have to say that it was more than worth the wait…Renji."

They fell asleep with their bodies still joined. And neither moved again all night, not even as the wind began to howl strangely outside, and reality suddenly shifted and rearranged itself…

XXXXXXXXXX

Orihime's eyes opened, an odd, golden shine filling them as the silver charm at her throat flared. She was surprised that the light and hissing wind that came with it did not wake the girl whose body laid curled around hers. She sat up slowly, extracting herself from Rukia Kuchiki's arms and climbing out of bed. She walked to the sliding glass door and opened it, then moved out onto the balcony. She stood in the pouring rain, looking up into the dark sky and suddenly remembering that moment…that time when Sousuke Aizen had called her to his room and slipped the charm around her throat, telling her that if things went wrong, she was to…

"No!" she cried, pawing at the charm, trying to tear the chain from her throat, "No…no…NO!"

She screamed for Rukia, but the hard peals of thunder drowned out her voice as the power of the charm wrapped around her and began to squeeze. And Aizen's power of hypnotism took hold of her and forced the pivotal words of release from her lips.

"I…" she said, tears and rain running down her face, "I…reject!"


	2. The Devastation

**Chapter 2: The Devastation**

Kisuke Urahara held on tightly to the unconscious shinigami he held over his shoulder and flash stepped at top speed, away from Karakura town. All around him, others fled as well…others who had seen Ichigo fall, or who had heard from someone who had seen. The retreat had been sounded immediately and every shinigami in the area knew to take cover and go to ground. And as he ran, Kisuke saw flashes of familiar faces…others who, like him, were heading towards the secret bunkers to regroup and decide how to proceed.

_Not that there's much we can do, now that he's evolved. Damn! And the strangest thing is, Ichigo never had a chance to loose the final getsugatenshou. It was like Aizen somehow knew everything that was going to happen. But I guess we should be relieved in a way. At least Ichigo didn't give up his powers. We're going to need that to stay alive now…although as beaten as we seem, I don't think Aizen will waste his own time coming after us. I just hope that my messengers reached the noble clans…_

"Kisuke."

He broke out of his thoughts as Yoruichi flash stepped into view alongside him.

"How is Ichigo?"

"Alive."

"Was he badly damaged?"

"Yeah…but he'll live, if we can get to cover. Did word reach the noble families?"

"Just ahead of Aizen's invasion force," said the cat woman, "I won't lie to you. It's going to be bad, but they were able to take many women and children to hidden shelters."

"Many…?" sighed Kisuke, feeling sickness inside at the word.

"There should be survivors from each clan, though they will not be great in number."

"So for all intents and purposes, the noble clans are being decimated. And the forces guarding the Seireitei?"

"The Seireitei will fall by morning," Yoruichi said grimly, "All of the captains and vice captains were sent to fight Aizen and the Espadas. And despite fighting on their home ground, the officers left cannot hope to fend off the army of Arrancars. Central 46 has been destroyed. The noble clans are being crushed. Captain Unohana was able to conceal the head captain somewhere with Shunsui and Juushiro, but he is comatose and will take a long time to heal before he even wakes. I saw Captain Hitsugaya on the way here. He was heading to another hidden outpost with injured officers. We aren't going to be able to raise any kind of offensive until those officers are back on their feet."

"Yeah," Kisuke agreed, his eyes darkening, "So for now, we have to get everyone we can to safety outside Karakura Town."

"Kisuke," said Yoruichi, "I'm going to break into Hueco Mundo and bring back the ones who are trapped there."

Kisuke nodded briefly.

"You probably shouldn't waste your time with Kurotsuchi or Zaraki. Kurotsuchi will be experimenting on anything and anyone he can find, and Zaraki will be doing a happy dance, having so many opponents to kill. Focus on the others. I want to be able to tell Ichigo that at least his friends in Hueco Mundo made it back."

"That's part of why I'm going, but I have to admit, the other part is about a debt I owe someone…"

Kisuke looked at her out of the corner of an eye.

"You still feel bad about leaving with me all those years ago."

"I was his friend…despite what it looked like on the surface. I abandoned him to go with you. And after having lost his mother and thinking I was dead too, his father died. Ginrei was too occupied with running the clan and the sixth division, and that left Byakuya nearly alone. If not for Tetsuya, he would have been completely isolated. I bear some responsibility for that."

Kisuke's eyes softened.

"I must be losing my edge, but I understand. Everything's going to hell and we're probably all gonna die, so we'd better start paying off those old debts and returning favors, ne?"

"Something like that. I have to make sure he doesn't get caught…and I have to let him know that Tetsuya made it into hiding with a group of servants who are now guarding the surviving women and children of the clan."

"Any word on whether the elders…?"

"They were all killed."

"Shit…"

Kisuke slowed and looked around briefly.

"Go on, then. Meet me at the hidden outpost. We can regroup there."

"All right. Be careful, Kisuke."

"_You_ be careful," he said, giving her an affectionate look.

Yoruichi managed a sad return smile and then flash stepped away.

XXXXXXXXXX

"The reiatsu cage is up, Captain," said Renji, looking over to where Orihime knelt beside Rukia, helping Hanatarou and Isane heal Chad and Uryu, "We should be safe from any hollows now. But if Aizen…"

"If what we felt was correct," Byakuya said, cutting him off, "then Ichigo Kurosaki was defeated and Aizen will be making the King's Key. After that, he will go to the spirit dimension and attack the royal family."

"We'd best hope that the royal guard is able to hide or protect them," said Renji.

He didn't like the distant, sad look in Byakuya's eyes.

"What is it?"

"The king will not leave the palace," he said with finality, "He will send his family into hiding if he is able and he will then make his stand at the palace. If Aizen reaches him, it is over."

"You don't think that the…"

"He has mastered the hougyoku and is now stronger than the king. If Ichigo Kurosaki was not able to stop him, then no one can. He will decimate the royal guard and kill the king. I would go to the palace to aid in its defense, but we are not able to leave Hueco Mundo. I only hope that someone will be able to come for us before…"

"Before Aizen comes back here," said Renji, "I remember him saying he would."

Byakuya nodded.

"And when he does, there is no place left for us to go. We will have to hope that our reiatsu cage protects us. If he senses us…"

He stopped himself forcefully.

"Well," he said softly, "best not to think too far ahead. We need to focus on survival for now."

"All right, Captain," said Renji, "Just tell me what you want me to do."

Byakuya closed his eyes for a moment.

_I want you to hold me, Renji. I want to disappear into your arms and make this all go away…_

"Stay close to me and do not lower your guard…not for a moment."

"Hai, Captain."

Byakuya flash stepped to the top of a small rise and knelt near the edge of the reiatsu cage, looking out into the darkness and waiting.

_I wonder if there is anyone left to come back for us…_

XXXXXXXXXX

"Take the wounded over there," Toushiro directed the shinigamis coming in bearing the injured, "I managed to help some of the seated officers of Squad Four escape to join us. Anyone who is not wounded or lightly wounded must help with the healing. We have plenty of rations, but we need to use them sparingly. We don't know how long we'll be here. You four, go and strengthen the shield around this place! Nobu, take your group to the barriers. You have the first watch."

He paused and looked around wearily as the guards and shielders ran to their posts, and the rest of the survivors leaned over the injured, working hard to save their lives. He glanced over in the corner, where the vizards were gathered, seeing to their wounded. The largest was missing a hand and was leaned over Captain Soi fon, who was missing an arm.

"Captain!" Rangiku called out from behind him.

He turned his head and sighed in relief as he spotted Shuuhei Hisagi coming in next to Kira, who held an unconscious Momo over his shoulder.

"Thank kami," he whispered, "She's safe, for now."

"Captain," Rangiku said, more softly, "I was sent a message that you should see."

Toushiro took the note from Rangiku's hand and opened it, frowning deeply at the contents.

"Rangiku," he said quietly, "What do your instincts tell you?"

His vice captain gave him a sad, guarded look.

"I think we'll have to agree to talk to him," she said quietly, "but that we shouldn't risk more than one officer. If it turns out to be a trap…"

"I will go," Toushiro said softly.

"No, Captain," Rangiku said firmly, "You are one of the few captains left who can still fight. I will go to him…and if I think we can believe him, I will work with him. If not, then I will find a way to kill him. Aizen may be nearly immortal now…but _he_ is not."

Toushiro's lips tightened and his heart ached keenly, but he forced down the feeling and nodded.

"Rangiku," he said, stopping her.

"Captain?"

"Make sure you are fully healed and have eaten before you go…and…come back safely."

"Yes, Captain," the woman said softly.

She left his side and headed towards the healers. Toushiro walked out to the barriers protecting the hidden base and stood, looking out into the night.

_I wonder if any of the ones who went to Hueco Mundo will be able to get back. Kuchiki will, I'm sure of it. He always finds a way. The other two…I wonder if they'll even bother…_

He was torn out of his thoughts as gasps broke out around the base. A bright glow was forming on the horizon.

"Kami…" breathed Toushiro as the light rose until it became blinding.

He raised his power and cast a shield over them to block out the worst of it before they would all go blind. The gasps gave way to sobs and muted whispers as everyone realized what it must have been.

_He's done it._

_He has created the King's Key._

_There is nothing left to stop him now…_

XXXXXXXXXX

Shunsui slipped an arm around Juushiro and brought his lover's head down onto his shoulder.

"Rest, will you?" he said, looking out of the concealed cave and into the deserted valley, "We're going to be here for a while. You should rest while Captain Unohana is still here. Once she leaves, we'll be switching off watching Yama-jii. We probably won't be awake at the same time at all."

"Oh, very well," Juushiro sighed, resting more snugly against Shunsui, "You're probably right. And anyway, there's not much good in worrying. What's done is done."

"Right," agreed Shunsui, offering him a comforting kiss, "We aren't going to solve anything by worrying. We are in a holding pattern for now, and have to concentrate on taking care of the head captain. And anyway, this doesn't mean that Aizen is unbeatable. He just…going to be even harder to beat than before."

"We _lost_ to him before," Juushiro reminded him, "It doesn't mean we can't win…but the odds will be even more against us this time. We have to hope that the last three captains are able to escape Hueco Mundo to return here…and that the royal guard can hold off Aizen at the dimension wall."

The two looked up as Captain Unohana emerged from the cave and joined them.

"How is he?" asked Juushiro.

"He is still unconscious, but he is holding his own. He will likely be unconscious for a long time, but eventually, he will wake…and he will recover."

She looked out over the lonely valley and cleared her throat softly.

"I am returning to the Seireitei."

"No!" Juushiro objected, "The Seireitei is…"

"I have received a hell butterfly from the fourth division. After making the King's Key, Aizen declared the war over and he ordered the Arrancars to abandon the Seireitei. He sent word to my division that he wants our healers to attend to all who were wounded and that we should begin repairs. Any captains and seated officers not a part of my division will be sent to holding facilities."

"The bastard hasn't even reached the spirit dimension and already he claims victory!" exclaimed Juushiro, "The _nerve_ of him!"

"I guess he figures that if Ichigo Kurosaki couldn't defeat him, then no amount of royal guard will stop him from reaching the king," said Shunsui matter-of-factly.

"Well, it isn't over," said Captain Unohana, "We are going to keep fighting. Part of the reason I have to go back is because I have been granted sanctuary. Aizen is apparently not interested in harming simple healers. As long as we do not openly oppose him, we will be able to move about within the Seireitei. We can locate and help to heal the wounded officers. And as the survivors regroup, we can provide information to them. Going back is really my best option."

"I see," Juushiro said softly, "And I think you are right. We would benefit from having you in a position to see inside his regime."

"Yes," Unohana agreed, "But I will have to leave his care up to you. I do not know if I will be able to return. You must watch over him until he regains consciousness."

"We will," promised Shunsui, "And you be careful, okay?"

Captain Unohana smiled sweetly.

"I always am."

The two captains watched their female colleague flash step away then exchanged glances.

"You know," said Shunsui, "I think she'll be all right."

Juushiro managed a soft chuckle.

"Yes," he agreed, "She only _looks_ gentle."

"But we know better, ne?" Shunsui laughed.

"Yes…we know better.

XXXXXXXXXX

Gin walked quietly at Aizen's side with Kaname Tousen on the other, as the three left the huge, hollowed out crater where Karakura Town had been.

_Add one million I didn't know or really care about to the list of the ones he has destroyed. But at least the ones I do care about were able to reach safety before…_

His mind spun at the memory of how swiftly and violently all of those people and their town had disappeared. And all that was left behind was an empty hole. He pushed the memory away and forced his feet to move.

"Gin," Aizen said softly, "Is something wrong?"

"No," he said, smiling, "Why would you think that?"

"I think he was referring to the dark little reiatsu cloud that has been over your head since you glimpsed Rangiku in Karakura Town," Tousen said quietly, "I can't use my eyes, but even I can see it."

"Well," said Aizen, "You can certainly claim her for your own now. Once I have assumed the throne, I will pardon any who agree to follow me and kill any who will not. You can try to convince her to join me. Then you can continue your friendship."

"Perhaps you are right," said Gin carefully.

_I have to stay close to him now. He and that thing he fused with must have some kind of weakness…somewhere. I have to find it…_

_I have to kill him…_

_I have to…_

"Come Gin," Aizen said, breaking into his thoughts.

He sighed softly and fell in again at Aizen's side. But his heart ached inside him.

_I really thought that I would find a way…but now…_

_I won't give up._

_I will find a way to kill him._

_I will find a way…_

They reached the dimension wall and passed through, then paused as the heavily guarded palace came into view.

_They didn't even try to defend the dimension wall. They know how powerful he is now._

_They know…and they are all preparing themselves to die._

He found himself holding his breath as Aizen faced the forces that charged towards them his power flaring around them until it burned his skin and the ground shook so hard that he could barely stand. It was all over in an eyeblink. The charging forces disappeared into a vicious conflagration of fire and were blown into spirit particles. The ground they had stood upon was burned black and the palace walls crumbled as the king's defenses disappeared.

_Oh my kami…_

_Is there anything or anyone who can stop this man?_

_I don't know anymore if it's possible…_


	3. For a World Ending

**Chapter 3: For a World Ending**

Byakuya watched solemnly as Rukia and Orihime entered one of the caves within the shielded zone and the two healers entered another. Chad and Uryu replaced the noble and Renji on watch. Renji felt an odd quivering sensation inside as Byakuya's eyes sought his, and although the request was normally phrased, it struck him as having a different intent than the obvious.

"Renji," Byakuya said quietly, "I need to speak with you privately."

"Yes, Captain," said the redhead, following the noble into one of the caves and watching as Byakuya sealed the entrance to give them privacy.

Byakuya sat down and thought carefully about what he wanted to say as the redhead moved across the cave and used kido to prepare two cups of tea. He returned and set the cup in the noble's hands, then sat in front of him, taking sips of his own tea and waiting for Byakuya to begin.

"Renji," he said quietly, "I did not want to say this in front of the others. I do not think the magnitude of what is happening has quite reached the ones we are with. But a short time ago, I sensed great loss of life. It seemed centered in the Seireitei. So…perhaps Aizen's Arrancars attacked the Seireitei."

"Damn…" muttered Renji, "That's bad…really bad."

"It gets worse," Byakuya continued, "If, as I suspect the Arrancars have attacked the Seireitei, they will not simply have attacked the Gotei 13."

Renji's eyes widened.

"You mean…civilians?" he asked softly, "Innocent bystanders?"

"He will have had his Arrancars target the ones he held as responsible for his situation. Sousuke Aizen was a peasant, one who was born with powers beyond what most shinigamis, noble or peasant, typically possessed. And yet, though blessed with abundant power, he was not recognized for those powers. The councilors of Central 46, the Gotei 13 and the noble families saw him always as less than he was, because of his lack of a noble name. It is this that caused him to isolate himself from others, to become angry and vengeful. And this, I think, is why he became corrupted. He lost his 'heart' and in so doing, he sought revenge on those forces that he felt ruined his life and left him isolated."

"But you just said that he isolated himself," objected the redhead.

"He did," Byakuya affirmed, "Think of it this way. You come from the Rukongai. You went to the shinigami academy and faced the same kind of treatment that he endured. Nobles at the academy looked down on you and Rukia for being peasant class, although you obviously had the intelligence and powers that they did. Think of how it made you feel."

"It made me want to kick all of their stuffy asses," Renji admitted.

"Of course. But you gravitated towards some who became your friends. You found solace, and by so doing, you let go of your anger and, 'took your situation in stride,' ne?"

"Y-yeah," the redhead said, nodding, "I guess I did."

"Well, Aizen wasn't able to do that. Instead of reaching out, he closed his heart. Instead of trying to band together with others like himself…to create a circle of friends…_nakama_, he decided wrongly, that he transcended others. He was too different and not just _wouldn't be accepted,_ but _didn't want to be accepted_. He decided that as he was transcendent. He didn't need anyone."

"It's what you're always telling me about how great power combined with a weak heart breeds tyranny."

"Yes. Aizen has corrupted himself and will now use his powers to come after the forces that he believes held him back from his destiny of greatness among the shinigamis. He has struck at Central 46, the Gotei 13…and Renji, I fear that he is also attacking the noble families."

Renji stared at him in silence for a moment.

"You aren't talking about just attacking the leaders and elders," he said softly.

"No," Byakuya answered solemnly, "I am talking about a cold and calculated massacre."

Renji's face paled.

"Captain…you think he would…order the slaughter of…of innocents? Women and children?"

Sousuke Aizen was once a child…and as a child, he encountered cruelty at the hands of the noble class…"

"Okay, so the noble brats were assholes," Renji said, shaking his head, "That's no excuse to go and kill people."

"His hatred runs very deep, Renji. I had a sense of this early on, when he used Rukia in his plans. The moves he has made have all been cold and smoothly calculated…everything down to luring Rukia here, to Hueco Mundo. He _knew_ that my sister would come to Hueco Mundo…and he _knew_ as well, that I would follow. And you heard him before he left…what he said about coming back…"

"And taking us down one by one," Renji said, nodding.

"But think, Renji. He was referring specifically to the four captains who were trapped here. Captain Unohana made it back to Karakura Town and will likely have survived. Captain Zaraki is in his element here and not a threat to Aizen, because he only longs to seek battle. Kurotsuchi too, has his usefulness as a wicked scientist who will serve Aizen as long as he is given leave to experiment freely. But…Aizen both knew I was coming here, and he knew that of the four captains, I was the one he could not turn. He wanted me trapped here for several reasons, I think. First, if I am here, I cannot protect my clan. It will be up to the ones I left in charge to protect them. I warned my cousin, Tetsuya, before I left to be prepared to evacuate the manor and estate properties in advance of the arrival of Aizen's attack forces, so he will have taken that action as soon as he realized what was happening. But back to Aizen's plans for me. He will either personally target me for death, which I cannot avoid, now that he has become a transcendent being…or he has another use for me within his new regime…a use not requiring my consensual cooperation."

"So…you think when he comes back, he'll ignore the others and come straight for you?" Renji asked, swallowing hard.

"I think that, most likely. So…I want to set in place a way to be sure that, whatever my fate, my sister will be protected."

"Oh," said Renji, "I don't think I like where this is going, Captain."

"You have been Rukia's friend and protector for longer than I have,"

"Don't do this, Captain…"

"And of all the ones here, you have the best skills for protecting her…"

"Aside from Ichigo, you mean?"

"Ichigo has been defeated. He may be dead, Renji. We don't know. In any case, there is no one else I can trust with this."

"Captain…"

"You are to guard her with your life, Renji," Byakuya said firmly, "And if a choice has to be made as to your greatest loyalty, you are to put _her_ first."

"I am _not_ going to abandon my responsibilities to you, Captain. I am your vice captain…"

"I am not asking you to do this as your captain," Byakuya said softly, "I am asking you this as a personal favor between friends…companions."

Renji stared at him in stunned silence.

"If, as we sensed, Ichigo has fallen…and the Gotei 13 has failed to stop him, our military has ceased to exist. Our forces are scattered and will need to regroup anyway. As that happens, you are to place yourself at my sister's side and make sure that she survives. And again, this is not a military order, but a request that you fulfill a promise I made to Rukia's sister…my late wife…in the case that I am unable to do so."

Renji forced down the awful feeling of panic his captain's words caused, tightened his lips and nodded. He felt tears in his eyes at the look of relief on Byakuya's face as he gave his word to protect Rukia.

"Okay," he said quietly, "I gave you my word I would protect your sister. Now…I want to protect my captain in the best way I can. What can we do to make sure Aizen doesn't get his slimy hands on you?"

Byakuya sighed and closed his eyes.

"There is nothing we can do…until the garganta opens for us," he replied, opening his eyes and meeting the redhead's eyes again.

"Then," Renji said softly, "what can I do for my _friend_?"

Byakuya held perfectly still, made breathless by the fact that the line so carefully placed between them was about to disappear. He held Renji's gaze, watching with a melting heart, the way the redhead's expression changed as the noble abandoned the barriers he had long held between them and folded himself gently into Renji's surprised arms. A pale arm curled around the redhead and Byakuya brought his head to rest on Renji's shoulder. He closed his eyes against the very distinct possibility of rejection, and found his heart racing wildly as Renji's strong arms tightened around him in acceptance.

He opened his eyes and relaxed against Renji, breathing in his warm masculine scent and taking comfort in that they had, at least this one moment of being together this way…this way he had long desired, but never had the courage to ask for. Renji had been one who sought to surpass him…to pursue and conquer him in battle, but slowly, day by day as their swords crossed, as they fought alongside each other, as they lived their lives and endlessly pursued other things, they had slowly bound their hearts together. And, in that time, so slowly that neither had noticed until it was too late, the redhead had conquered his captain in an entirely different way. And only now, with Byakuya curled willingly into his arms, did he see how they had always been meant to find their way to each other.

Sensing that control had been placed in his hands, Renji let out a soft breath and slipped the fingers of one hand underneath the noble's chin, stroking it lightly as he raised it to bring their lips together. Byakuya's eyes opened and met his questioningly, then misted sweetly as their lips made contact. The noble's softer, finer lips moved tentatively against Renji's rougher ones and he felt himself left breathless again as the redhead gripped him more tightly and thrust his tongue deeply into his captain's hot, wanting mouth. Byakuya's hands clenched and he devoured Renji's invading tongue hungrily, closing his eyes again and kissing Renji harder, so hard the kisses hurt. But he didn't care about the pain. He only cared about feeding that long endured hunger inside, indulging in Renji in this way he had never dared hope that he would. Renji met his kisses forcefully, holding nothing back as they pressed against each other and their power flared softly all around them.

Their hands loosed enough to fumble with each others' clothing, to let it fall away so that they could feel the heat and need that had waited so long to be embraced. Byakuya lifted himself, smiling as Renji's hands wrapped around his pale, round bottom, helping him to position himself as he parted his soft creamy thighs and lowered himself slowly. Renji held still so as not to cause any unnecessary pain and moaned heatedly as Byakuya's body joined with his in slow, measured thrusts.

"Oh…kami, Captain!" Renji gasped, giddiness sweeping over him, "You're so…so...It…feels so good…!"

"I _need_ to hold you tightly Renji," Byakuya whispered back, "I was afraid to say it before…while my places as clan leader and captain held me back. But everything is falling apart now. The Gotei 13 has been decimated, and I don't even know what is left of my clan. All I know that I still have left is Rukia…and you, Renji."

"And I'll stay with you, Captain," Renji whispered, his voice rough with arousal, "Even if everything else falls apart, I will stay with you. And I will protect you…not as your vice captain, but because I love you!"

"_Renji!_" Byakuya hissed, moving his hips and dragging a needy groan from the redhead's lips, "Renji…I love you too!"

They went silent then, their mouths busied with deep, wet kisses and Renji's hands wrapped around the noble's soft bottom as it rose and fell. Byakuya's fingers tightened, the fine nails digging into his skin and sending small, erotic splinters of pain through his body. He moaned into the noble's biting mouth and bucked his hips upward. Byakuya moaned almost incoherently, still holding onto the redhead painfully tightly, and rising and falling on Renji's length with brutal speed and strength, gasping and panting as Renji pushed upward, finding the bundle of sensitive nerves within. He struck the same place repeatedly until Byakuya gave a hard cry of surrender and collapsed against him, his body shuddering uncontrollably as he released. Renji's fingers dug in, where they held his hips in place. The redhead pushed deeply into his captain's hot core and with a growl of intense pleasure, sent his searing release into the noble's body, dragging a final, deep and resoundingly beautiful sobbing cry from Byakuya's lips. He fell on those sweetly flushed and gently smiling lips, kissing them more softly as their passion-hazed eyes locked and their bodies registered deep, mutual satedness.

"I love you Captain," Renji whispered, nipping at his earlobe.

"Byakuya," the noble whispered back, "I won't have my lover calling me by my military designation."

"Except at work, ne?" Renji joked.

He felt Byakuya stiffen slightly and a jolt of realization passed through him that their division, along with all of the others might not exist, they might never go home, and even if they did, it would be a long time…or maybe they would never again sit in that office, drinking hot tea and doing paperwork, talking about schedules and stealing quiet glances at each other. All that they knew was being swept away, and there were no promises they could honestly make to each other for the future. But they could comfort and love each other. That hadn't been taken away from them yet. So Renji held Byakuya against him, his length still buried in the noble's body and gave his lover what he needed the most.

"Byakuya," he whispered, kissing the noble's white throat, "I love you, Byakuya."

He felt the tension go out of his captain's body and Byakuya went quiet and still in his arms, his eyes closed and his body wrapped in Renji's comforting strength.

"Arigato," the noble replied in a weary, but grateful tone, "I love you too, Renji."

The redhead held Byakuya against him and remained awake, even as Byakuya slept peacefully in his arms. It was inexplicably sad to him that they were in a place where morning could never come, where natural sunlight would never shine, but he pushed that aside and focused on the beauty he held in his arms, the love that continued its soft echoes between them, the promise in their touches and kisses, and the solemn hope they pinned on something so fragile as chance.

He wondered what would happen next, who had survived and what Aizen's plans would be for dealing with them. He wasn't sure how, or even if there was a way to fight him, now that he had overcome the Gotei 13. He wondered then if Aizen had reached the spirit dimension and if the king was alive or dead. He had always thought that somehow they would know if the king fell, but there was only darkness and silence in the cave, and a deep uncertainty in the redhead's heart. So he held on to what was certain. He held on tightly as Byakuya slept, and comforted him with kisses and gentle touches and words when the noble moaned and shivered, gripped in the clutches of some kind of nightmare. But the nightmare became all too real when Byakuya's eyes opened wide in panic, and he hissed a sharp command to Renji as they reclaimed their clothes and dashed out of their small haven and back into the darkness of reality.

They heard a hissing flash step as Yoruichi Shihoin appeared in front of them. Her presence sent new hope through the small group of survivors, but her quick warning snapped them into instant action.

"Come with me quickly!" she called to them, "We have to get out of here now! _He's_ coming!"


	4. Dust and Shadows

**Chapter 4: Dust and Shadows**

Renji froze as Byakuya's hand took hold of the front of his shihakushou and the commanding gray eyes sought his. He stared at the sight of Byakuya, dressed only in his shihakushou, his hair unbound and rippling in the cold breeze, his kenseiken, ginpaku kazahana no uzuginu and haori all abandoned and Senbonzakura gripped in his strangely bare, ungloved hand.

"_Renji, remember your promise!_" he hissed sharply.

Then the noble's lips fastened on his for one lovely, breathtaking moment, before Byakuya broke away, at the same time shoving Renji in Rukia's direction. Renji heard the rising screeches of attacking hollows and knew better than to hesitate.

"Rukia!" he cried, flash stepping to her and drawing his sword.

"Go!" Byakuya cried as Yoruichi began to open the garganta, "I'll hold them off with my senkei!"

Without waiting for an answer, he lifted his zanpakutou, tip down and released it, watching quietly as it sank into the sand.

"Ban kai," he said calmly, "Senkei, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."

"Brother!" gasped Rukia, turning towards the noble.

Renji grabbed her arm and propelled her in Yoruichi's direction.

"What are you doing, you idiot?" she cried.

"Keeping a promise!" he yelled back, holding her tightly against him, and holding Zabimaru ready in his other hand.

Chad and Uryu stood protectively in front of Orihime, Isane and Hanatarou, their weapons ready and their eyes on the rising pink swords of Byakuya's senkei.

"Be ready!" Yoruichi told them, "Once the garganta opens, Aizen will probably sense it and he will use his powers to seal it off. You will have to get inside fast or risk getting left behind. If, for any reason, we are separated, you will have to hide out and survive as best you can until we can make contact again."

"What about my brother?" asked Rukia, gazing out to where Byakuya stood, waiting and watching as ceros began to pound the barrier he had created.

"He is obscuring Aizen's view of what we are doing. He is buying us time. Don't worry, Byakuya's flash step will carry him out of harm's way before Aizen closes in. Stand ready, now!"

Rukia and Renji stood with their swords ready as the garganta began to form in the air in front of them. The ground beneath their feet rumbled heavily and loose rocks and shale tumbled down the rocky hills near them and closed in on them.

"Renji!" cried Rukia, drawing her sword, "Dance, Sode no Shirayuki…Tsugi no mai, Hakuren!"

A huge ice blast flared out of Rukia's zanpakutou.

"Ban kai, Hihio, Zabimaru!" cried Renji, sending his zanpakutou after the ice blast to crash into the remaining rocks, destroying most of them before they could reach the group.

"El Directo!" yelled Chad, sending a blast after the two shinigamis' to shatter the last of the rocks.

Even so, dust and debris swept over the group, obscuring everyone's view. And before they could recover, they heard an ominous cracking, then a horrid shattering noise that could only mean that the hollows were breaking through even Byakuya's ban kai level power.

"Senkei, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi!" cried Byakuya, detonating the senkei and sending a hard blast of petals through the incoming hollows.

"Run!" called Yoruichi desperately, "Quickly, before the garganta is sealed!"

Uryu turned and saw Orihime's slim outline. He reached out and swept her up, then ran for the garganta. Chad followed, grabbing Hanatarou around the waist and dragging him along as the healer howled in surprise. Renji held Rukia tightly against him and dragged her, kicking and screaming, to the garganta, where he waited with Yoruichi as Isane Kotetsu flash stepped by. Renji saw Byakuya's silhouette appear out of the dust and gave a sigh of relief.

"Everyone's here! Let's go!" cried Yoruichi, leading the rest into the garganta.

As the last of the group ran inside and slid to a stop, she turned back and sealed the garganta, locking out any pursuit.

"They won't be able to follow through this opening," she told them, "But they can open other doorways and search the underground caverns for us. We need to get out of here and back to Kisuke's hideout. Come this way!"

They ran along the dark passageway with Yoruichi making a pathway of bright reiatsu and the rest following. Renji looked over his shoulder as they ran and spotted Byakuya at the back of the group, remaining close to a straggling Orihime. They turned several corners and ducked into side passages as the sounds of passing hollows reached them. Some time later, Yoruichi slid to a stop and created an exit.

"This is where the exit into Kisuke's hideout is. We'll regroup there, and then, I imagine any captain level personnel will have to…"

She broke off, staring, as Byakuya and Orihime's bodies began to shimmer, then slowly to fade..

"What the hell?" gasped Renji, "Byakuya!"

"Brother!" screamed Rukia, "Orihime!"

Isane gasped and put a hand over her mouth.

"Oh my kami!" she whispered, "Don't you feel it? It's _his_ reiatsu! Sousuke Aizen has taken them!"

"She is right," Yoruichi said in a low, furious tone, "He must have taken advantage of all of the dust and confusion to use his illusions to deceive us in to thinking that Byakuya and Orihime were still with us!"

"We have to go back!" cried Rukia, turning away.

Renji grabbed her shihakushou and held her in place as she kicked and hit him, screaming at him with all of her might.

"We _can't _abandon them, damn it! We can't! I am not going to lose my brother and my very best friend! How _dare _you get in my way, you stupid idiot! MOVE!"

"Stop it!" shouted Renji, shaking her gently to get her attention, "Don't you understand? I want to go after them too! But Byakuya ordered me to get you out of Hueco Mundo and make sure you are safe. And by kami, I'm going to do that!"

He paused for a moment, his chest heaving as he glared down into Rukia's widened eyes.

"But after that's done, I'm going back for him," the redhead concluded.

"You aren't going back to Hueco Mundo," said Yoruichi, "None of us are. Byakuya and Orihime won't be there."

The rest of the group stared at her questioningly.

"If he had wanted to just kill them, he had the power to strike at all of us right there," she explained, "That he let some of us go…and used his illusions that way, suggests that he wanted to take them unaware."

"You're saying that he's going to take them to the spirit dimension, ne?" said Uryu

Yoruichi nodded grimly.

"I don't know why he needs them," she went on, "but whatever the reason, we will not let them stay in Aizen's hands. We're going to go after them! We just need to get to Kisuke so that we can gather intelligence and make a plan."

Renji loosened his grip on Rukia his eyes devastated as the reality of what had just happened, settled over him. He felt a quivering feeling inside as he remembered how tightly Byakuya had held on to him the night before.

_It's like he knew…_

_Damn…_

_Byakuya…what do we do now?_

"Yoruichi is right," said Rukia, "We are going to need Kisuke's help if we are going to break into the spirit dimension and get them back!"

The others nodded in agreement and followed Yoruichi out of the garganta and into the living world.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Ulquiorra," Aizen said quietly as he leaned over Orihime's motionless form and removed the silver charm from her throat, "You are to take Orihime Inoue back to the spirit dimension and have her placed in suspended animation. She is to be locked into the tower and under heavy guard at all times."

"Hai, Lord Aizen," the Espada said, lifting the girl and turning to go.

"You want me to bring _him_?" Grimmjow asked, looking down at the collapsed shinigami at Aizen's feet.

"No," the tyrant king said, following his eyes down to where Byakuya lay facedown in the sand with his shattered blade next to him, "I will see to him. No one is ever to lay a hand on Byakuya. He belongs to me now."

"We should at least seal away his powers, ne?" asked the Sexta Espada, "He is a captain."

Aizen shook his head.

"His powers are inconsequential compared to mine. There is no way that he will ever be a danger to me, and in fact, I find a strong mate to be very attractive. You and Ulquiorra are to make sure that no one enters the tower once Orihime is stored there."

"As you wish," answered Ulquiorra, lifting Orihime and flash stepping away with Grimmjow on his heels.

Aizen turned the unconscious noble onto his back and admired his smudged, but still very comely face, his pouting mouth and lovely tumbled hair.

"Perfect…" he said lifting Byakuya into his arms, "It is time to be on our way. I know you are just _dying _to know my plans for you. And I assure you, you will be surprised…very surprised."

He flash stepped back through the darkness, proceeding in silence through the crossover point into the Seireitei, then out again and to the dimension wall, where his forces stood guard. He passed through the dimension wall and headed for the palace, pleased that in his short absence, his followers had erased the battle damage and disposed of the bodies that had littered the lovely grounds. He carried Byakuya into the palace and down several long hallways, stopping as he reached the royal baths and stepping inside. He undressed the unconscious noble and himself, then lifted Byakuya again and carried him down into the warm healing waters.

He sat quietly in the shallow water with Byakuya resting, unmoving, in his arms, as Aizen sprinkled handfuls of the healing water onto his pale skin and watched as the markings of battle slowly faded and the noble's skin was restored to a lovely, pristine state.

He had, he remembered, once hated the man for being so very beautiful, but now that he was king over the three worlds, he was entitled to possess anyone he wanted…and Byakuya being the most beautiful among nobles, among all shinigamis, in fact, was his to possess and use as he chose now. He had thought of a thousand ways to torment the greatest of the noble clans' leaders, and a thousand more ways to kill him. Byakuya deserved the pain, deserved to die in some foul way for that he represented the old, corrupt regime, but even though the thought of making him hurt or die was pleasing, if he did kill Byakuya, he would also be throwing away his usefulness. And Sousuke Aizen never overlooked _anyone's_ usefulness, never let a living soul be wasted. He used everyone in whatever way he or she manifested the greatest value, and in that way, he respected all things, even if the way he used them, also destroyed them.

But destruction wasn't what he had in mind for Byakuya…and the noble's death at his hands would, he thought, only be the beginning of that usefulness, rather than the end.

He smiled down at Byakuya's sleeping face, letting his body slide down into the water and carefully suspending him there at the surface, his eyes wandering languidly over the full expanse of perfect, white flesh, the artistry of curves and planes, the variant textures of flowing hair, pearly nails and glowing flesh. Every inch of the man belonged to him now. And once he was perfected, Byakuya would have no choice and no will but to serve him devotedly.

He leaned forward and tasted the noble's sweet lips, then lifted him out of the healing waters. He took his time, dressing them, his eye wandering around the pleasant surroundings and his mind straying to what it would be like to share this place with Byakuya…once he had made the transition…to have someone worthy to stand at his side and to share in everything he had worked so hard to obtain. He smiled and kissed the noble's lips again, then lifted him once more and carried him out of the baths and into the living areas. He took Byakuya into the grandest of the bedrooms and laid him in the large, comfortable bed that had been the former king's. Now, Aizen thought, it would hold the new royal couple, the ones destined to reshape everything the old regime had allowed to become tarnished and dull.

But there was work to do first.

And it would all begin once the noble's dark eyes opened and he came to see his destiny laid out before him.

With a contented smile, Aizen laid on his stomach, watching Byakuya closely as he stirred softly and started to wake.

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya opened his eyes and found himself looking up at a white ceiling. It seemed jarring, he thought, to find himself in a place that was brightly lit and beautiful, tranquil in contrast to the dark, ominous atmosphere that had been in Hueco Mundo. And as his eyes moved slowly, taking in the richness and beauty of his surroundings, he knew that there was only one place that he could be. He tried to move, to sit up, but it seemed as though a heavy weight had been laid over him and he hadn't the ability to sit up. He turned his head one way and studied the rich décor around him, then turned his head the other way and found himself looking at Sousuke Aizen.

"You look surprised," commented the new king as Byakuya blinked and brought him into full focus, "Why? You knew who it was who took you down in Hueco Mundo."

"I did," agreed the noble, "but I am surprised because I had heard stirrings of what happened…that you changed as you evolved. And your hair is longer and your eyes are oddly different, but I had thought that your evolution would have changed you more."

Aizen smiled and nodded.

"It did, actually," he admitted, "But I prefer to look this way. And having achieved victory, I needn't use my fighting form. I think, in fact, that form was a shade too frightening. This one is more pleasing to the eyes, ne?"

"Why did you bring me here?" Byakuya asked abruptly, "I know you sought to destroy the noble clans along with Central 46 and the Gotei 13."

"And I _have_ destroyed them, Byakuya. I imagine you expected that since I did not kill you immediately, that you would wake in a dark cell and be tortured?"

"Something like that," the noble admitted quietly.

"And yet, you have awakened to find yourself lying in the grandest room of the palace, in the most comfortable bed here. An odd thing, ne?"

"Yes, although as beautiful as my surroundings might be, they are little reassurance. Torments can take place in any environs…and perhaps you enjoy some irony."

"Perhaps, but that is not why I brought you here, Byakuya."

"So if I am not to be killed and you did not bring me here to torture me, then what is it you plan for me?" Byakuya asked in a surprisingly collected tone.

Aizen smiled.

"Who said that I was not going to kill you?" he asked, smirking.

"So you _are_ going to kill me, but wish to enjoy doing so at your leisure?" the noble concluded.

"In a manner of speaking," Aizen said, looking into his eyes, "But the death I plan for you is really not what you think, Byakuya. It is merely a doorway you must pass through…on the way to becoming something more."

He slipped his hand into his shirt and removed the hougyoku from its place in his chest.

"You see," he said softly, "While I have achieved most of my goals and have ascended to the throne, I have also decided that I do not wish to lead the three worlds on my own. So, I sought you out. Being the most beautiful and powerful shinigami, other than myself, you were the most appropriate choice to be my royal consort."

"I would rather die," Byakuya said, frowning.

"Oh, you will," promised Aizen, "but when I wake you from death, Byakuya, the hougyoku will give you your transcendent form…and you will find, I think, that a union with me is a bit more attractive. I think you will be happy enough to bind yourself to me and bear my children."

"Sousuke Aizen," said the noble, his eyes darkening, "I can promise you that I will _never_ find the idea of being bound to you attractive. And I will end my own life rather than to allow you to corrupt me with your demon spawn!"

Aizen watched silently as Byakuya's power flared around him. And the noble frowned in confusion at how he was bound so tightly, yet his powers flared so readily.

"You look confused," said Aizen, looking mildly sympathetic, "Let me clear things up for you. Byakuya, it doesn't matter how you die, whether by my hand or yours. All that matters is that you will die _somehow_, and when you do, the hougyoku will bring about your transformation. So kill yourself if you want to. It doesn't matter. You will serve my purposes either way. You haven't the power to overcome me, nor to break the bonds I have placed on you. So you might as well cooperate. Now…if you are going to insist on killing yourself, you should reconsider. I have a much less painful way in mind, but do as you will. You have about thirty second to decide and at that point, I will kill you, so think, but think quickly."

His smile widened as Byakuya's power rose up and wrapped around the noble, preparing to send himself into oblivion. He shook his head and extended a hand over his captive, watching Byakuya's eyes flare and his expression turn deadly as his power slowly faded.

"You don't like relinquishing control, do you?" he chided the noble gently, "but as I do not actually want you to suffer as you die, I will take over from here."

He froze Byakuya in place, not allowing the furious words to leave his lips. He opened the noble's yukata, and then his own. Byakuya's eyes widened as long, fleshy tendrils rose out of Aizen's spirit centers and closed in on him. There was no pain at all as they breached the shinigami's body and sank down into Byakuya's spirit centers.

Aizen laughed softly.

"You see, you missed your chance," he said, smirking, "Had you managed to kill yourself before I stopped you, we weren't connected, and you really would have died, but now that our spirit centers have been joined, you are subject to the will of the hougyoku."

He reached out and touched the noble's angry face lightly.

"I am a transcendent being," he explained, "and if a shinigami, hollow or living person is exposed to the power of my raw, soul core, it will die…quickly, painlessly. And once you die, your shinigami form will fall away, revealing your soul core. When that happens, the hougyoku will capture your soul core and perfect it. And when you wake you will have your own transcendent form. So enjoy a long, last moment of life as a mere shinigami, Byakuya. You are about to become my royal consort!"


	5. The Breathtaking

**Chapter 5: The Breathtaking**

_Aizen reached out and touched the noble's angry face lightly._

_"I am a transcendent being," he explained, "and if a shinigami, hollow or living person is exposed to the power of my raw, soul core, it will die…quickly, painlessly. And once you die, your shinigami form will fall away, revealing your soul core. When that happens, the hougyoku will capture your soul core and perfect it. And when you wake you will have your own transcendent form. So enjoy a long, last moment of life as a mere shinigami, Byakuya. You are about to become my royal consort!"_

Aizen gazed down into Byakuya's widened eyes and relaxed his controls over the noble.

"What are you doing?" Byakuya hissed, scrambling to his knees and backing away, "Why did you…?"

"You are the greatest leader of the strongest of the noble clans," said Aizen, smiling at him, "It seemed wrong to take your life with you entangled and helpless, like a fly caught in a spider's web. You are a proud shinigami. You deserve to die at full power, wielding your strongest attack. So, go ahead and attack me. I won't resist."

"Bastard!" Byakuya snapped, climbing to his feet and backing away until the tendrils connecting their bodies went taut, "What do you know of respecting your enemy? Did you show respect in using stealth to slaughter the councilors of Central 46? Did you respect the ways of war when you sent the hollows to massacre defenseless women and children?"

"They were part of a tyrannical system that refused to recognize that power does not belong solely to the noble clans…and there are forces, such as me that are stronger even than the king!"

"They were innocent!" Byakuya cried, his power flaring around him, "They did nothing to you…and many would likely have agreed with you that our ways of government are imperfect, but a king with lesser strength and a greater heart is worlds better than a bitter tyrant with great powers and no _soul_, Aizen! You are the worst of traitors. You hid like a coward in our midst, pretending to defend Soul Society, while all the while working to bring it down in flames! How _dare_ you speak to me about respecting me as your enemy! Noble or not, you aren't fit to look me in the eyes! And I will _never…NEVER _betray my promises to my family, to our head captain and to my king by lying down with you and bearing your tainted progeny in to poison our worlds!"

A swift flash of kido sliced through the tendrils connecting them and Byakuya threw himself through the tower window, ignoring the pain as the broken glass slashed his skin and doing nothing to stop himself from falling. He stared in stunned surprise as Aizen's power wrapped around him and dragged him back inside, then the tendrils stretched out and reattached themselves. He stared down at them dazedly as Aizen shoved his heavily bleeding body roughly back against the wall, holding him by the throat and glaring down into his eyes as Byakuya struggled to breathe.

"Let me make this _abundantly clear to you_, Byakuya Kuchiki," he snarled, "_I am your king_! And _you_ will do whatever I tell you to do. I _chose_ you because of all the noble lords, you seemed the most likely to be able to bring order back to the three worlds after the war. Together, we will convey strength and concern for our worlds. And as things are reordered, I am sure that you can bring calm to the populace. After all, if you are alongside me, then they have not lost all that is familiar and trusted, ne?"

"I will _not_ be part of some _lie _to help you…"

Aizen's hand tightened, cutting off his words.

"I don't like having to repeat myself, Byakuya," he repeated, watching the noble tear at his hand as the dark gray eyes began to glaze over and his legs quivered beneath him, "I am your king. You will do as I command you. Now, I was attempting to make your transition to a transcendent being as fast and painless as possible. The pain you are in is self-inflicted and it is pointless. You can't save your life this way, nor can you escape my plans for you. You are only making it harder for yourself by being insulting, so I would suggest that you desist."

"Let _me_ make something clear to you, Aizen," Byakuya gasped, "I will never willingly help you…and I will never stop fighting you!"

Aizen smiled and immobilized him against the wall.

"You simply can't stop yourself, can you?" he said calmly, "But that is all right, Byakuya, because I don't need your consent to use you in any way I choose. As you pass into death, the hougyoku's power will make you over into the consort I desire."

He released the noble's throat and Byakuya took a long, dragging breath.

"Breathe in deeply now," Aizen said, moving in closer, "I want to devour your death cry."

He placed his mouth over the restrained noble's, at the same time letting his outer shell fall away and revealing himself completely. Byakuya had the sensation of looking into a firestorm, then found himself swallowed whole by the tyrant king's violent reiatsu. His body convulsed and forced out a single, senseless, uncontrolled scream. He felt himself start to fall, then was captured again by something sentient and horridly dark. Without his senses, he could not tell exactly what had happened. His whole being seemed to have been drawn down to a pinpoint, and he felt his life force beginning to fade. But the dark presence pulled him in and gripped him tightly. And even as he longed to take the final step into death, the being, whatever it was, held it away.

_Let everything you were fall away now, _whispered the being's soft voice in his tormented mind, _I will perfect you. I will give you new strength and purpose…new life. The body and life that was sacrificed is nothing compared to what I will make you. Ascend into greatness, Byakuya Aizen!_

He fell into complete darkness and silence then, feeling the burn of creative force on his soul core, the turning and wrapping around of power, the binding of his spirit to newly made flesh. And as he was made over, he began to lose himself, to lose his hold on everything he remembered from before. Faces, voices and his memory of events scattered and left him, until all that was left was the last face his shinigami eyes had seen and the name that the soft voice had spoken to him.

_Byakuya Aizen…_

He opened his eyes and found himself lying on his back in a soft bed, looking up into the face of a man with long brown hair and indescribably odd, piercing eyes. And even though he smiled, Byakuya felt a coldness all through his body when the man touched his face and nodded in approval.

"Now then," he said softly, "You gave me your last breath. Let me return it to you, Byakuya."

Byakuya shivered inwardly as the man fastened a warm mouth on his and released a long, slow breath into his body. He loosed it again in a soft, keening cry, placing a hand over his breast as his newly formed heart fluttered inside him. He tried again to speak, but only emitted another soft, high-pitched cry.

"Don't worry," Aizen assured him, slipping an arm around him and helping him sit up, "You will relearn how to communicate. As a transcendent, your voice resonates much more swiftly, so you will have to learn to modulate it to speak to others. I can understand you, but it will take some time for you to learn to speak properly."

He slipped a silver band onto one delicate wrist and Byakuya watched as it sank into his skin and disappeared.

"Because you were not transformed as I was, under battle conditions, your transition will take somewhat longer. Your reiatsu is unstable right now, so it is best to keep your powers sealed away. You need to rest and let your new body adjust."

He smiled and kissed the new transcendent's soft lips.

"I have a gift for you," he said, removing a pendant and silver chain from his pocket and fastening it around his consort's pale throat, "It is very special to me, so I want you to guard it carefully."

Byakuya touched his fingers to the silver charm as Aizen rose and started towards the door. Realizing suddenly that he was leaving, the new transcendent scrambled after him, loosing a cry that shattered everything in the room that was made of glass. Aizen smiled and shook his head, then rejoined Byakuya on the bed.

"Rest, my love," he whispered, laying him on his back again and sending him off to sleep with a gentle throb of kido, "I will be back."

He kissed his sleeping consort and then lifted himself and admired the angelic creature Byakuya had become. Long waves of tumbled black hair fanned out around a slender, luminous body that was almost too lovely to look at. Every inch of him was perfect and unblemished, his skin still pale, but glowing and softer than a cloud. And even more tempting was the innocence about him. Having lost all memory of his life before, he would, Aizen thought, cling tightly to the only other one like him.

"Sleep well," he whispered, turning away and leaving Byakuya securely locked inside the chamber.

XXXXXXXXXX

Ichigo shifted restlessly and groaned, his eyes blinking and slowly coming back into focus. His mind raced back to his face off with Aizen and how wrong it had gone so quickly.

_It was so strange. I know that something odd happened at some point, but I don't know what. It's strange…almost like…I was dreaming that I beat him. Then…then…oh kami, what the hell happened? Was I just dreaming? Did he use his illusions to mess with my mind so I'd let down my guard? I don't understand. What went wrong?_

"Ichigo?" whispered a voice in the dark, next to him.

He began to regain sensation in his body and found that he was naked and warmly wrapped in the arms of an equally bared Kisuke Urahara. The shopkeeper's gray eyes met his with equal parts love and concern, and his hands gently infused the youth's abused body with healing reiatsu.

"Kisuke…" he replied, meeting the shopkeeper's lips for several slow, lingering kisses.

At first, they said no more, focusing their energy on healing and being healed…sharing in the renewed joy of just being alive, and being close to each other. He knew there was plenty of bad news he would have to hear. But for the moment, he curled more deeply into his lover's arms and gave himself over to the tender, healing touches and the warm meeting of their spirits.

"Kisuke," Ichigo said, steeling himself, "It's really bad, isn't it."

"It's bad," said the shopkeeper, "but I imagine that it could be a hell of a lot worse."

"So…tell me."

"Aizen was successful in making the King's Key."

"Damn…so Karakura Town is…"

"Gone. Your dad took your sisters into hiding. We managed to get your friends from the school to safety."

"What about Chad, Uryu and Orihime? Rukia? Renji? Did they get back okay from Hueco Mundo?"

Kisuke's lips tightened for a moment.

"Chad, Uryu, Rukia and Renji are here," he said, meeting Ichigo's worried eyes.

"Orihime?" the youth asked warily.

"She and Byakuya were captured by Aizen and we believe that he took them into the spirit dimension with him."

"Orihime? And B-byakuya too?" Ichigo asked, his eyes widening, "What about the other captains?"

Kisuke sighed.

"Captain Hitsugaya has a group of vice captains and Captain Soi fon in a secret base here in the living world."

"What about the old man?"

"We aren't sure. There are whispers that some surviving captains took him into hiding. But we already know that he was badly injured so even if he is alive, I don't know if he'll be any of any use to us."

"Th-the vizards?"

I don't know yet. They were pretty soundly defeated and are probably in hiding, but we haven't made contact. But that's not the worst of it."

Ichigo closed his eyes and bit his lip.

"What is it? What's happened?"

"Aizen's Arrancars attacked the Seireitei."

"Damn…"

"Yeah," Kisuke went on, his eyes darkening, "Yoruichi went back to get an idea how bad it was. She said that the Seireitei is in tatters. Central 46 is gone, the Gotei 13 collapsed. And apparently…Aizen had another target…the noble families."

Ichigo sat up, and Kisuke sat up next to him.

"What did they do to them?" the youth asked in a trembling voice.

"They slaughtered everyone they found. I heard tell that some of the clans were able to evacuate some women and children, so we don't know how many are in hiding, but the deaths in the Seireitei are in the hundreds of thousands."

"Oh…oh kami…Kisuke," Ichigo whispered, tears coming to his eyes, "If only, I…"

"Don't, kid," Kisuke said, silencing him with a kiss, "You aren't the only one he defeated. We're all in this together."

"I know…but…it's really strange…"

"What?" asked Kisuke.

"Well, it's hard to explain…a feeling I had when we were fighting. Kisuke, I thought we had won! I…I used my last attack and we sealed him away…and I was going to lose my powers, but I remember how relieved I felt because it was over, you know?"

Kisuke frowned thoughtfully.

"I don't know," sighed the ginger-haired youth, settling against the shopkeeper as Kisuke continued to frown and think.

"What? Do you have an idea?" Ichigo asked hopefully.

"I don't know," Kisuke admitted, "He could have used an illusion to take you off guard…or something else could have happened."

He was quiet for several minutes.

"I think that, in the morning, I'll go back to where Karakura Town was. I want to take some readings and then, on the way back, I'll connect with Captain Hitsugaya and see if he has any more information."

"Then, I'll go with you," said the youth.

"No," the shopkeeper said resolutely, "You, me, Yoruichi and the living captains and vice captains have a price on our heads. We have to be careful in our movements. We don't want to be sensed. We need to heal and gather information. We can figure out what to do after we have a better picture of our situation."

"Well, you're going…"

"I'm at full power," said Kisuke, "and Yoruichi will go with me. You need to stay here and not show yourself until we have a better idea of our situation. Your friends are here. You should talk to them. Rukia is beside herself, losing both her brother and Orihime. And I get a sense that Renji isn't much better off. Something is really weighing on him. So…let's just get some rest, and tomorrow, you can get together with them and start working on plans to try to find out what Aizen did with those two."

"Yeah…okay. You're probably right. I'll sleep on it, and tomorrow, I'll talk to them."

The two laid down again and brought their lips together for several deep kisses. The younger man's still healing injuries prevented the two from making love, but they settled into each other's arms and drifted off into uneasy sleep.

XXXXXXXXXX

"So why do you think Aizen is keeping the girl in suspended animation?" asked Grimmjow, trapping Ulquiorra against the wall and slipping a hand into his clothes, "She isn't likely to escape unless someone helps her, and it will be awhile before Ichigo and his friends regain their strength and come after her…"

"I am not certain," said Ulquiorra, catching his breath as the Sexta Espada's hand pleasured him, while Grimmjow invaded his mouth with a hungry, thrusting tongue, "I have been wondering about that, myself. But it hardly matters. He has ordered it, and we will obey orders. I think that he keeps her in case he needs her powers, but doesn't want to have to bother with caring for her beyond keeping her under guard."

"I wondered that he never took her to bed," mused Grimmjow, opening the other Espada's top and teasing a nipple with his fingers as he continued to stroke his length, "but I guess we know why now, ne?"

"The shinigami captain?" said Ulquiorra, almost losing track of the conversation as Grimmjow began to prepare him and went back to attacking his mouth.

"Mhmm," Grimmjow said, kissing the fourth Espada harder.

He was almost ready to forget the careful preparation and take the other Espada right there, against the wall, when an odd, high-pitched cry began to sound in the corridor. Grimmjow froze, frowning at the intensity of the sound.

"What the fuck _is _that?" he asked softly.

Ulquiorra bit back a moan of discontent and listened.

"I'm not sure," he admitted.

"Hmmm," muttered Grimmjow, "Stay here. I'll check it out and be right back."

Ulquiorra groaned unhappily, but sighed and adjusted his clothing as Grimmjow slipped out of the room and into the hallway. The sound continued to ring through the corridor as he walked up to the tower, where Aizen's room was located. He noticed as he walked that all of the windows in the area were broken, and heard some of the shattered pieces crack as the sound rose up again. He came to Aizen's door and listened as the sound rose up again, then broke the kido lock on the door and opened it. He froze in the doorway staring.

In the middle of the bed, the captain Aizen had captured, rested on his hands and knees, looking up at the Sexta Espada. His long hair fell in unruly waves around head, shoulders and back, and his yukata was in disarray, displaying more of the man's luminous body than it should have. His eyes were a sapphire blue where the whites should have been then there was a thick ring of white with a band of gray and a black center.

"Shit…" muttered the Espada, "What did he do to you?"

The man's pretty pouting mouth opened and Grimmjow covered his ears at the unbearably shrill cry he emitted.

"Damn it, stop, will you?" he exclaimed.

Then it registered that the man was panting and clenching the sheets in obvious distress.

He moved closer, gazing into the man's odd eyes and giving him a look of forced patience.

"Hey, that's really loud. You want to knock it off so we can hear ourselves think over there? Besides, I think you broke every window on this level!"

He wasn't prepared at all when Byakuya shot across the room and scrambled out into the hallway.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" he snapped.

He looped an arm around the man's waist and hauled him back into the room. Byakuya let out an angry shriek and struck at the Sexta Espada, who pushed him down onto the bed and started to restrain him. He felt then, that the man's body was quivering beneath his hands, and the odd eyes had become desperate.

"Where are you gonna go? You really think he wouldn't find you? And what are you going to do anyway? Look what he did to you. You may be drop-dead gorgeous, but you can't even talk. You're better off staying here and…"

He broke off as Byakuya's hand rose up and came to rest against his cheek. The strange eyes flashed and Grimmjow suddenly saw an image in his mind…a red-haired shinigami who looked familiar to him…

"What the…?"

"What are you doing with him?" asked Ulquiorra, "Lord Aizen didn't want him disturbed."

"Well, the guy's lonely or something and he's breaking things with his goddamned voice!"

Ulquiorra sighed, shook his head, then sent a hard jolt of power through Byakuya's body, making his body twitch and then fall still.

"Come," said Ulquiorra, "I'll replace the lock on the door, so he doesn't know you broke in."

"Aww," said Grimmjow, "You're gonna cover for me?"

"Well, I would rather not sleep alone while he has you tortured for disobeying him."

Grimmjow chuckled and followed him out of the room. But even after the door was locked and they had returned to their room, the image of the lovely captive kept attacking his thoughts and he couldn't get the sad, keening cry out of his mind.


	6. Seeds of Rebellion

**Chapter 6: Seeds of Rebellion**

Hanatarou left the fourth division and walked slowly along the street, headed for his assigned search area, the ruins of the former sixth division. He tried, as he walked, not to look at the piles of bricks, wood and debris that used to be buildings, because it made him depressed to think of how long it would take to search and clean up the Seireitei, and then to rebuild it…but not in the way it was. It would be rebuilt without the noble estates. All of the land once owned by the noble lords had been reclaimed by Aizen and would be redistributed once all of the debris had been carted away. The grounds of the Gotei 13 squads, too, would be portioned off as well.

"It will be so strange…" he murmured absently as he approached the shattered remains of the sixth.

He set markers around the area he was to search and extended his senses, looking physically and scanning every inch in search of survivors. He found numerous places where shinigamis and hollows had already expired. There wasn't a lot of hope of finding survivors, as it had been several days. With not enough searchers and most of the Seireitei in ruins, it was now mostly a case of picking up the broken pieces and moving on.

Hanatarou sighed deeply, thinking about the rumors of troops gathering in the lower Rukongai at secret locations. But although he secretly hoped the rumors were true, he expected that they faced nearly impossible odds, now that the strong noble houses had fallen and the Gotei 13 had been crushed. Aizen was essentially a god…and young Hanatarou had no inkling of how one would fight a god.

"Is…is…s-someone there?" a young, hoarse male voice rasped.

At first, he wondered if it was a hollow, but the person coughed and called softly to him again. Hanatarou moved forward into the debris field and saw a pale hand reaching up through the rubble. He ran to the person's side and began digging frantically. Slowly, he uncovered enough to see the person's arm up to his shoulder, and the trapped shinigami found new strength at the prospect of being rescued and was able to assist in the digging. Some time later, the bulk of the rubble had been pushed aside and the trapped youth crawled out, coughing and sputtering, but uttering a short exclamation of gratitude to the young healer.

"Th-thank you…Hanatarou!" said the youth as the healer carefully cleaned the thick dust from the area around his eyes, and addressed several deep cuts on his arms and legs.

"Oh!" said the healer, recognizing the other youth, "Rikichi! I was wondering if you had made it to safety!"

"N-no such luck," admitted Rikichi, "I was with a group that was trying to evacuate the building when it began to fail. We got almost everyone out and we were running for the door ourselves when the building came down."

"You are very lucky to be alive…and in such good condition!" exclaimed Hanatarou, "How did you manage to avoid being crushed?"

"Ah…" said the youth, "I knew the building was falling and just managed to get under Vice Captain Abarai's desk. I was lucky that even though it broke, it shielded me from the worst of the falling debris."

"That is very lucky," agreed the healer.

He reached into his bag and removed a yukata, then handed it to Rikichi and leaned towards him, lowering his voice.

"Put that on," he said softly, "Aizen has shinigamis and hollows looking for officers to arrest and making all of the unseated shinigamis swear allegiance to him. You should pretend to be of the Rukongai."

"I did live there before," said Rikichi, "but why should I go there now?"

"Word has come that escaped officers and shinigamis loyal to the Gotei 13 are massing in the Rukongai. As you know, the Rukongai was not attacked as the Seireitei was, so people are fleeing there in droves. You should be able to blend in."

"Hanatarou," said Rikichi, "Has there been any news of Vice Captain Abarai or Captain Kuchiki's fate?"

Hanatarou smiled sadly.

"I can tell you for sure that Vice Captain Abarai escaped Hueco Mundo with me and my group. Unfortunately, Captain Kuchiki was captured, and so was Orihime Inoue."

"Oh no!" gasped Rikichi, "Do you know where Renji is now?"

"I am not sure," admitted the healer, "But I heard that some captains and vice captains sneaked into the Rukongai and were going to meet with the rebels gathering there."

"Then that is where I will go," Rikichi said, slipping out of his tattered shihakushou and wrapping the thin yukata around himself.

"W-wait!" called Hanatarou as the youth started to flash step away, "I haven't finished healing you!"

"I am all right now," Rikichi assured him, "Thanks Hanatarou. Thank you for freeing me!"

"Oh…" he said as the other youth disappeared, "No problem…just doing my job."

XXXXXXXXXX

Sousuke Aizen heard the soft sounds of his consort's misery as soon as he entered the room. He found Byakuya collapsed in the window seat by the broken bay window, sobbing almost silently and ignoring completely that the glass he lay in was tearing his delicate, white flesh. He caught the new transcendent around his slender waist and brought him to his feet, then brushed the glass away and lifted him.

"Come now," he said reprovingly, "I took you to be a stronger man than this, Byakuya. Where is your pride?"

He set his consort on the bed and watched as Byakuya's lips moved, but made no sound.

"There, see? You've made yourself hoarse. It seems the best thing to do is to ensure you do not continue straining your vocal cords."

He touched a hand to Byakuya's throat and his power flared softly.

"That will take care of the problem," he assured the consort, "I will remove the seal on your vocal cords when you have settled. And in any case, perhaps it is better you do not speak until you are under more control anyway. I need to have you appear in public to help calm things. Soul Society is a shambles and I really do want to get things into order. So…we will see to the seeding of the heir and then we will prepare to go to Soul Society."

He caught his breath and frowned, noting that Byakuya had not moved or responded in any way the entire time he had been in the room. The tears he had seen had stopped, and the consort sat quietly and perfectly still, his eyes downcast and his shoulders drooping. Blood dripped from cuts on his arms and legs and stained the bedding beneath him. His frown deepening, Aizen laid him down on his back and began to heal him.

"I understand your feelings, of course," he said calmly, taking the noble's bloodied hand and healing it, "You are confused and lonely because of your loss of memory, but you will come to accept that the world, as you knew it is gone. The noble clans have been erased, the Gotei 13 crushed and Central 46 destroyed. But you don't need any of those things anymore, my love. You were a prisoner under that system too. You were so bound in their lies and deceptions that you didn't see how they were corrupting you. You may think I have hurt you, but their ways hurt you and everyone else, even though most others, like you, refused to acknowledge it. And once you have time to think and you come to your senses, you will realize that I am not the monster you think I am. _They_ were the monsters, Byakuya. But their power has been overcome, and now we can have a more equitable society, run by a king with the power to hold things in a better balance."

Finishing the last of the healing, he coaxed the consort into sitting in front of him and gazed down into the odd blue and gray eyes almost affectionately.

"Haven't you realized yet that I have not so much captured you as freed you, Byakuya? I have freed you from the memories, so you will not remember, but I know how you struggled with the strict rules of your family, how they hounded you to do things their way. And you rebelled, didn't you? You married a commoner, ne? They said it was wrong and they made you hate yourself for breaking the rules, didn't they? And when Rukia was sentenced to death, they put pressure on you to accept and even support her execution."

He laced his fingers into those of Byakuya's newly healed hand, and kissed him on the cheek.

"You were horridly tormented by them. You should be glad to be free of that. As my consort, you must only answer to me…and I will be lenient with you if you only cease to resist me. You can't tell me that you did not feel restrained by them. I have removed those restraints and made you even more powerful and lovely than you were. All I want from you is for you to stand at my side, help me to put the three worlds back into balance and give me a child to carry on my legacy. What you do and how you conduct yourself is of little concern to me beyond that."

He brushed their lips together and looked into the transcendent's tormented eyes.

"No one wants to be alone, Byakuya. Not you, not me…no one. I chose you because of your potential as a mate, yes, but also because you seemed as lonely as I felt. But now we have each other. And we can learn to love each other as we recreate our worlds the way we want them."

He lowered the noble onto his back again and opened his bloodstained yukata, then leaned over him and healed the last of the cuts.

"There now," he said, smiling down into Byakuya's distant expression, "The pain is gone. And I will make you feel…beautiful, content and loved, Byakuya."

Aizen shed his clothing and laid down on top of the silent, unresponsive noble. Byakuya turned his head aside, trying to ignore the slow, indulgent kisses Aizen placed on the soft skin of his throat, the invasive caresses on his body and tickle of the man's long, brown hair where it trailed down onto his flesh. He felt the man's blazing erection touch his thigh and tried to pull free of him, but Aizen's body only moved with him and continued to hold him down.

He wondered why, even though the man's words were warm and caring, his touch made Byakuya's skin crawl. He longed to escape, but already knew that the room had been carefully shielded to prevent him from escaping and there were guards all around outside his door. And even if he could escape the tower, he didn't know where he was or where to go to escape the man. Aizen was horribly powerful and although Byakuya's own powers seemed to be growing, they were still sealed away. The lone scrap of hope he retained rested on the one thing he remembered from before…because he knew there had been a 'before' just not what was in it or how it had ended. All he remembered of that time was a face and a warm, loving voice…a dark cave in a sunless place and being held tightly and carefully protected.

As Aizen's body moved against his, he closed his eyes, wondering why, having lost everything else, that one image and voice remained. And when Aizen's mouth kissed his, he imagined it was the red-haired man, and that the voice in his ears was his as well. He panted and released soundless moans as Aizen's hands pleasured and prepared him. His mind disappeared into the memory of the dark cave and he dreamed it was that other man's body lying on top of his, the rougher, larger hands touching him and that deep, comforting voice in his ears.

Aizen's hand parted his thighs and his mouth reclaimed the noble's as he positioned himself at the transcendent's entrance. Byakuya moaned soundlessly, his body still imprisoned beneath Aizen's and his mind securely locked in that one safe place. As Aizen's body possessed his, he sank more deeply into that pleasant memory, feeling again that connection he had felt with the red-haired man's body. He felt again the warmth and trust between them. He felt again, the strong motion of the man's hips, his heavy moans of pleasure, and as Aizen's body thrust heavily into his, and he whispered words of appreciation for Byakuya's beauty, all that reached the noble was the red-haired man's name. Aizen penetrated him deeply, loosing an eruption of searing heat inside him and forcing his body into release. Byakuya's mouth opened and he loosed the red-haired man's name into the air, but it came out soundlessly and wasn't noticed by the brown-haired man on top of him.

Aizen gave him a pleased smile and kissed him, letting his fingers trail down the noble's sweating body to touch the wet remains of their coupling.

"You see," he said, brushing his lips lightly against Byakuya's ear, "If you only stop resisting, it feels good. I was right. We are good together."

He settled down onto his back and pulled Byakuya close, bringing the noble's head to rest on his shoulder and sighing softly.

"It is somewhat disappointing, having you transition so slowly. I would have liked to hear your voice calling out my name as you climaxed. It is a sweet thing to hear your lover cry out your name. But there will be time for that later. We must rest, now. Tomorrow, we will go to the Seireitei."

XXXXXXXXXX

Rangiku moved quietly among the trees, the only sound around her, the soft swishing of the wind in the tree branches. She knew the area well from having lived nearby as a child, and now she waited, her body alert and poised, but her mind drifting back to being in that same place, years before.

"Gin…" she whispered, thinking as she did, that she could sense his presence.

"This place has not changed much, ne?" said a man's voice behind her.

She turned quickly and found herself looking up into Gin's sky blue eyes and trademark smile. Training told her to be ready to draw her sword, but her instincts failed her completely as Gin moved in close and let his arms slide around her in greeting.

"Rangiku," he said, his voice calm and affectionate.

Her senses returned in some measure and she stiffened and pulled away.

"You shouldn't take chances like that after what you've done," she said reprovingly, "I might have killed you."

"Ah…Rangiku is glad to see me," he said, squeezing her hand that was still trapped in his, "But perhaps we should speak first about business."

"That is the _only_ reason I am here," Rangiku said, forcing her voice into coldness, "I am the only one you had any chance of convincing to listen to you."

"I know that," Gin said quietly, "And that is why I made sure that you were the one who was given my message."

"My captain is aware I am here…and we are being watched," the woman said shortly.

"Ah," said Gin, "I will have to mind my manners, then."

"Why did you send for me?" Rangiku asked.

Gin's smile faded.

"I had thought that I would not have to. In fact, I did not want to involve you. But after what happened in Karakura Town, I had no choice."

"You mean…Ichigo's defeat there?"

"Yes. I have an odd sense of something being very wrong with it."

"How so? You are with Aizen. You wanted Ichigo to fail, didn't you?"

"Actually," Gin said, "I didn't intend for him to have to fight Sousuke. I had other plans…and strangely, though I remember putting them into action…it seemed as though all of that was a dream of some kind. I clearly remember trying to kill him, myself."

"You tried to _kill_ Aizen?" Rangiku asked incredulously, "But I thought that…"

Gin's fingers touched her cheek and he gazed deeply into her eyes.

"He made you cry, Rangiku," the silver-haired man said quietly, "And I will _never_ forgive him for that. But he somehow managed to use illusion, or something else to overcome what I remember happening. I do not know yet how he did it, but I feel the wrongness of what is happening. And I thought that if I shared information with the remaining captains, perhaps a way could be found to defeat him. I cannot go to them directly, but I can give information to you. And to prove myself to you, I will tell you this. Aizen has captured Byakuya Kuchiki and made him his consort. And tomorrow, he and his new consort will travel to the Seireitei to try to hasten the repairs and settle people's nerves so that order can be restored. He will place Kaname Tousen at the head of the new Seireitei Guard, which will police things as everything is rebuilt. He will leave the fourth division intact, but will assume all former Gotei 13 troops except for captains and vice captains into his new guard."

"What will he do to us?" asked Rangiku.

"He is going to have you executed," Gin told her calmly, "He would rather not deal with insurrection, so he will make an example of you. You must make sure that the captains and vice captains do not leave themselves vulnerable. You know some of the fearful lower ranks might expose them to save their own skins. So…be careful."

"Thanks for the warning," Rangiku said, narrowing her eyes, "We will be watching to see if what you say happens."

"Good," said Gin, pulling her close again, "Then…I will be in touch."

He surprised her lips with a swift, gentle kiss and disappeared into the night. She stood quietly, staring in the direction he had gone.

"Gin…" she whispered softly, tears rising in her eyes.


	7. Flashes

**Chapter 7: Flashes**

Byakuya kept his eyes closed and barely responded as the man lying on his back, slowly prepared his already slicked entrance. His pale fingers curled, clenching the rumpled and bloodstained bed sheets as Aizen continued, working to reach the sensitive place inside him. He couldn't help but moan silently and pant as the odd mix of pleasure and pain mingled in his trapped body. He threw all of his effort into focusing on the red-haired man, as Aizen's fingers retreated, and the tyrant king positioned himself to enter his consort. The pain of being penetrated was less than it had been the first time, in his body…but the damage to his heart seemed unbearable.

_R-ren…ji_, his aching mind recalled as Aizen curled his fingers into Byakuya's long hair and tightened them.

His mind spun slowly into numb acceptance as Aizen's hardness penetrated him. Aizen's reiatsu thickened around them until Byakuya's trembling body had no choice but to respond to him. There was nothing he could do…yet. So he laid beneath the tyrant king and tried to ignore the disgusting abuse of his body.

_It doesn't matter, as long as I remember his face, his voice, the feel of his hands…Renji. I don't know if he is real, but he feels real._

His thoughts left him for a moment as Aizen thrust deeply inside him, moaning and panting. Byakuya quivered at the feeling of the man's wicked heat blossoming inside him and the touch of hot breath on his shoulder. His head was dragged back and his mouth attacked with biting kisses. Then the other man rolled him onto his back and kneeled between his parted thighs. Byakuya tried to resist his manipulations, but found it impossible. Guilt welled up inside him, bringing tears to his eyes as his body refused to obey him, and instead, gave in to Aizen's insistent touches. Aizen smiled wickedly, looking into his eyes as Byakuya was helplessly undone.

A knock sounded on the door.

"Come in," said Aizen, not even bothering to cover their exposed bodies.

He kissed the noble as Grimmjow appeared in the doorway, realized what was happening and looked away.

"What is it?" he asked impatiently.

"Some remains of the king's guard," Grimmjow said, "They must have heard we were going to the Seireitei and decided to fuck with us. Ulquiorra is already down there and so is Tousen."

Aizen sighed in annoyance.

"Very well, I will be there in a moment."

Byakuya remained motionless on the bed as Aizen dressed and then left the room with Grimmjow. When the room was quiet, he lifted his head and looked around. He still sensed the shielding around the windows, but the door had been left ajar and the guards had moved down the hallway. He climbed out of bed, not bothering to close his yukata, and stole out into the hallway. He moved in the opposite direction of the guards and found himself at the far end, in front of a closed door. Hearing the guards walking in his direction, he opened the door and slipped inside, closing it behind him. He looked around the room and froze as he realized that there was someone lying on the bed in the room. Her hair was long, and a more orange color than the rich red of the man he remembered. And the person was female and young. She was alive, but frozen in place, a prisoner like him, though thankfully not so abused. She had not been harmed at all…only made to sleep and imprisoned.

Byakuya flinched uncomfortably as his hand touched her and a memory flashed in his mind.

"_Run, Orihime!"_

"_But…Captain Kuchiki!"_

"_You heard me. Run!"_

_An explosion tore through the area, shattering his senkei and throwing them to the ground. He couldn't remember ever being stricken so hard by anything. His body struck the sand and froze there as someone walked slowly towards him. He turned his head aside as the garganta closed and the red-haired man disappeared._

"_Renji!" he sobbed, his head spinning and his eyes going dim, "Renji…be…safe."_

He stared down at the girl and touched the pendant at his throat. The memory passed through his mind again and he saw the pendant…dangling from a chain around Orihime's neck.

_He said it was special to him…_

"You shouldn't be in here."

Byakuya whirled and found himself facing a tall, silver-haired man.

"He doesn't let anyone see her."

Byakuya felt a chill inside as Gin moved closer, staring at his pale, bared body. He stared into the other man's eyes and held perfectly still as Gin approached him. The silver-haired man gazed back at him, lifting his hand and touching the pendant at his throat. And for some reason, it felt more invasive than if the man had touched him sexually. He drew back, pushing the man's hands away.

"A pretty token, ne?" said Gin, "Did he give that to you?"

Byakuya shivered and stared back at the man silently. Gin smiled and moved closer, reaching out again. He moved more slowly and took hold of the tie at Byakuya's waist.

"He's been enjoying you quite a bit, ne?" he commented, tying the noble's yukata back in place, "Bastard, isn't he? Takes what he wants and leaves the wreckage behind…"

He left off as Byakuya's hand gripped his and the noble's pleading eyes sought his. Byakuya touched his throat and Gin's eyes widened in realization. His fingers joined Byakuya's on the noble's throat and sent a pulse of kido into him. Byakuya gasped and tried several times to speak, emitting a few short, odd squeals of sound, then loosing a name.

"R-renji!"

Gin blinked.

"Your vice captain?" queried Gin, "Were you wondering if he was alive?"

He leaned closer.

"I heard he was among the ones who escaped Hueco Mundo. He's with the rebels now. Do you want me to give him a message?"

"Ah…" Byakuya said unsteadily, "Alive. Tell…him."

Gin nodded briefly.

"I will make sure he knows. But he's probably going to be in the Seireitei when Aizen takes you there today. But come now. Let's get out of here. He'll probably get angry and have us both punished if he finds us here."

"Ori-hime," he said, grabbing Gin's arm again.

Gin looked back at the girl and shrugged.

"She's fine. Just unconscious to keep her from causing trouble. It's a shame, though," he said, shaking his head, "She might know something about what he did."

Byakuya frowned and gazed at him questioningly.

"A lot of people think that he did something," Gin explained, "We don't know what exactly, but it involved _her_."

"Tell Renji."

"You want me to tell Renji that she is here too?"

"Y-yes."

"Okay, Byakuya," he said, giving the noble a familiar smirk, "I'll tell him for you. We have to go now. I think he's coming back."

He led the noble out of the room and closed the door behind them, then followed Byakuya back to Aizen's bedroom.

XXXXXXXXXX

Renji stood quietly, looking out across the small valley and remembering.

_"There is nothing we can do…until the garganta opens for us," Byakuya said, opening his eyes and meeting the redhead's eyes again._

_"Then," Renji said softly, "what can I do for my friend?"_

_Byakuya held perfectly still, made breathless by the fact that the line so carefully placed between them was about to disappear. He held Renji's gaze, watching with a melting heart, the way the redhead's expression changed as the noble abandoned the barriers he had long held between them and folded himself gently into Renji's surprised arms. A pale arm curled around the redhead and Byakuya brought his head to rest on Renji's shoulder. He closed his eyes against the very distinct possibility of rejection, and found his heart racing wildly as Renji's strong arms tightened around him in acceptance._

_He opened his eyes and relaxed against Renji, breathing in his warm masculine scent and taking comfort in that they had, at least this one moment of being together this way…this way he had long desired, but never had the courage to ask for. Renji had been one who sought to surpass him…to pursue and conquer him in battle, but slowly, day by day as their swords crossed, as they fought alongside each other, as they lived their lives and endlessly pursued other things, they had slowly bound their hearts together. And, in that time, so slowly that neither had noticed until it was too late, the redhead had conquered his captain in an entirely different way. And only now, with Byakuya curled willingly into his arms, did he see how they had always been meant to find their way to each other._

_Sensing that control had been placed in his hands, Renji let out a soft breath and slipped the fingers of one hand underneath the noble's chin, stroking it lightly as he raised it to bring their lips together. Byakuya's eyes opened and met his questioningly, then misted sweetly as their lips made contact._

"Damn it…" Renji muttered, closing his eyes.

"Renji," said Rukia, startling him.

The redhead glared at her in annoyance for a moment, then his eyes softened and his hand slipped into hers.

"We will get him back."

Renji sighed.

"Or what's left of him," he said, shaking his head, "You heard what the spies said."

"Yes…that my brother was taken to the spirit dimension and made Aizen's consort. And that he will be with the delegation coming to the Seireitei."

"And who knows how that _damned freak_ has twisted him!" Renji said, looking disgusted, "I just keep thinking back to right before, you know? And it just…Rukia, I never saw him scared like that before. I never thought anything could scare him."

"Everyone was scared when it happened," Rukia said solemnly, "None of us expected things to go so wrong."

"And now what do we do? Aizen's made himself into a god. How the fuck are we going to fight a god?"

"I don't know," the violet-eyed girl admitted, "But we can't give up. We have to keep fighting Aizen. And we have to get my brother and Orihime back."

"We will," said Renji, squeezing his friend's hand, "I don't know how, but we will."

XXXXXXXXXX

Rikichi paused for a moment to take a quick drink at the stream he had found, then left the shade of the trees and flash stepped towards the meeting place for the rebels.

_I hope Renji got there okay…_

He had heard several accounts of Renji being among the rebels, but given the confusion in the aftermath of Aizen's victory, he couldn't be sure until he saw his superior with his own eyes. He flash stepped forward quickly now, eager to arrive at the meeting place. He was so intent on his path that he failed to see the dark form that emerged from the trees. He cried out in surprise and fear as a strong arm wrapped around him and the edge of a knife touched his throat.

"St-stop!" he gasped, "I don't have any money!"

"I don't want money," hissed a soft, low male voice, "I want information."

"O-okay," panted Rikichi, "Okay, fine."

The knife disappeared and Rikichi was turned and found himself stunned by the person who stood in front of him.

"C-captain K-uchiki?" he stammered.

Then, he saw that this man was younger, barely adult, his face more gentle than Byakuya's and his eyes a pretty sapphire blue.

"How do you know my cousin?" he asked.

"I…I am his subordinate. I'm fifth seat, Rikichi."

"You are from his squad?" the young man asked.

"Yes," said Rikichi, nodding, "I had to change clothes to escape the Seireitei. All seated officers are being arrested."

"I heard that," said the noble, "Are you with the rebels, then?"

"I am going to join them."

The noble nodded.

"I am, as well, but I wasn't sure where to find them."

"They are just beyond this valley, over the hill there. They will have raised a reiatsu cage, so we'll need to find a sentry and prove who we are."

"I'll take care of that," the noble said, smiling, "My apologies for frightening you. I didn't know if you were a friend or an enemy. I am Tetsuya Kuchiki. As I said, Lord Byakuya is my cousin."

Rikichi smiled shyly back at him.

"Oh…it's okay about before. No one really knows who's on which side. We all have to be careful."

"Yes, we do. Well, to make up for my rudeness, why don't you let Arashi and me accompany you to the base?"

"A-arashi?" queried Rikichi, staring as a tall black stallion emerged from the foliage.

"Arashi," Tetsuya said, "This is fifth seat Rikichi, from Lord Byakuya's division. He is a friend."

Rikichi caught his breath as the horse extended his nose and sniffed at the youth. Their eyes met for a moment, then Arashi suddenly blew out a loud puff of breath, startling the youth and making the horse emit a sound that was dangerously close to a laugh.

"Don't mind _him_," Tetsuya said, shaking his head and giving the horse a light smack on the shoulder, "He likes to tease sometimes. It means he likes you, Rikichi."

Rikichi found himself smiling. It felt strange to do so after all that had happened, but it left him feeling strangely hopeful.

"Come, Rikichi," Tetsuya said, bounding onto the stallion's back and extending a hand to help him up.

Rikichi's smile widened and he accepted the noble's hand. He climbed into place behind Tetsuya.

"Hold on with your legs, but feel free to hold on to me if you feel like you're going to fall."

"Okay," Rikichi said, gasping and grabbing Tetsuya around the waist as Arashi sprang forward.

The stallion glanced over his shoulder and gave an equine snicker.

"I don't know what's gotten into him," the noble said apologetically, "He must really like you."

"That means he _likes_ me?" laughed Rikichi, "What would he do if he didn't like me?"

"Hmmm," said Tetsuya, "Let's just be glad he likes you, ne?"

"Okay," chuckled Rikichi, tightening his arms around Tetsuya as Arashi broke into a gallop.


	8. Hidden Blossom

**Chapter 8: Hidden Blossom**

**(A request by E.N.D.K.! Thanks for your support!)**

Byakuya sat in the window seat, gazing blankly out at the lovely gardens below the tower. Although he wasn't sure why he was able to remember, he recalled being allowed to enter the spirit dimension once to meet with an old, silver haired man he thought might have been his grandfather. They had walked on the small gravel trail he could see below him, and had talked a great deal, although he could no longer remember any of the conversation. Tears came to his eyes as he wondered if the man was alive or dead. He didn't sense the man's considerable reiatsu, and in any case, if the king was threatened, then Byakuya was certain that the man he recalled would not have left his side.

He sighed resignedly as an arm wrapped around him from behind and Aizen planted a line of warm, sleepy kisses along his neck. He reached down absently to tease the noble's exposed privates and followed his eyes down to the gardens below.

"You still look depressed," Aizen said, sounding oddly sympathetic, "I know that your transition has been difficult for you, but I had thought that you would adjust to life as my consort. I don't want you to be unhappy. I did give you that necklace as a way of trying to make things better with you. But perhaps it is your surroundings now that are making you feel closed in. Why don't we get out of this room for a while? Come."

Knowing it was pointless to resist him, Byakuya stood and waited quietly as his yukata was removed and another was wrapped around his thin frame.

"You are still not eating properly," Aizen noted, "Now that you are a transcendent, you must eat more to keep your reiatsu at its peak level. You will not die from lack of food, but you will certainly feel less comfortable. And when you are carrying my child, you must eat so that our baby will be well nourished, and will be born in good health."

He tied the yukata in place, then took Byakuya's hand and led him out of the room. The guards stepped aside and bowed as they passed.

"We'll stop at the infirmary and see if Gin can't do something to help you pick up and look a bit more well. Your presence is supposed to be reassuring to the survivors of the war, not more distressing."

He led Byakuya into his dressing room, where two female hollows waited.

"Byakuya, these ladies are Loly and Menoly. They are my dressers and personal assistants. Loly, if you will help Byakuya into the kimono I had made for him?"

"Yes, Lord Aizen," the servant girl said, approaching the king's lovely consort as her comrade began to undress the king.

The two girls exchanged glances as they worked, and Byakuya flinched under the hands of his dresser as she pulled the ties on his clothing uncomfortably tight. Noting his lack of surface reaction, she continued to torment him until the discomfort resulted in a flush on his discomfited face that didn't even escape the self-absorbed king. Aizen frowned and his reiatsu flared softly.

"Loly," he said quietly, his voice sending shivers down the young woman's spine, "perhaps you had better refasten those ties. My consort looks uncomfortable."

"Yes, Lord Aizen," the girl said, averting her angry eyes as she complied.

"Good," the king continued, "That was careless. See that it doesn't happen again."

Loly scowled, but suffered another shiver inside at the unspoken warning and she carefully loosened the ties. Byakuya remained perfectly aloof, his mind centered only on the red haired man and a growing feeling that they were connected in some important way that he hadn't yet remembered.

_I know his name is Renji and I keep seeing small flashes of what must be our past, but the king still seems to think I should remember nothing. If that is so, then why am I remembering things? He told me that he killed my shinigami form and that is what stole my memories...but memories are returning. I have certainly lost my shinigami form, so what can be happening? I don't understand._

"You look enchanting, my love," Aizen said, disrupting his thoughts and making him flinch as the king's hand captured his chin and coaxed him into a long, penetrating kiss.

Byakuya caught sight of himself in the full length mirror, blinking as another snippet flashed in his mind of standing in a much different place, being dressed by a young man he thought must have been a relative. A feeling like fever flashed on his skin and his head spun.

"Byakuya?"

The consort's body swayed dangerously and he felt Aizen's arm wrap around him, bracing him and holding him on his feet. Darkness swirled around his eyes and Aizen's voice dimmed. He had the vaguest sense of being lifted and carried, but he faded into a calm grayness for a time, his mind weary of the storm of questions hounding him. He wasn't sure how long he drifted in that quiet, removed place before he heard a loud rushing come into his ears and soft male voices began to reach him.

"His reiatsu is very unstable," Gin observed, frowning, "I think you were hasty, forcing him into transition and not even waiting to seed your heir. Too much stress on his body all at once like that and it will strain even a young transcendent."

"But, he is pregnant? You are sure?" Aizen asked.

"Oh yes," Gin confirmed, running a hand over the consort's soft, white belly, "There is very definitely a growing transcendent reiatsu inside him. Congratulations, Sousuke."

"Thank you, Gin," Aizen chuckled, "Now, I suppose that I should let him remain here while I visit the Seireitei. If he is not well, then it would be counterproductive, since I want his presence to assist in rebuilding the people's confidence. I want them to see that life will go on and that we will have peace and improved prosperity. With the redistribution of lands and wealth, everyone but the fallen nobles, of course, should find their lives improved. It won't be long before they forget that there ever were noble clans."

"It sounds like a good plan," Gin agreed, "but I also think that Byakuya's presence is important. After all, it is his capitulation, his surrender and obedience that will lead the few surviving nobles to yield all hope of having a chance against you. And the people, seeing that you have been benevolent, sparing his life and allowing him to serve you will cast you as a commanding leader, but one who can be merciful as well."

"But what good is his presence going to do if he looks so ill?" Aizen asked discontentedly.

"I think I can do something about that if you can give me a half hour or so. You said you need to meet with the security team, ne? Why don't you do that and I will get Byakuya perked up for the trip?"

"I suppose it would be good to have him appear before them sooner, rather than to wait. Very well, see what you can do with him."

Byakuya listened as the king's footsteps receded, then opened his eyes and looked up at Gin.

"Ah, how long have you been awake?" the silver-haired man asked, smiling at him, "Did you hear the good news?"

He watched the mixed reaction in the noble's hazy eyes and patted his hand gently.

"Not sure how you feel about that, are you?" he asked, "Well, maybe there is something I can do to help you?"

_Why?_ Byakuya mouthed.

"Why do I want to help you?" Gin asked, "I think I'll just keep that to myself. What you need to know is that when he made you into a transcendent, he made a mistake that could be very costly to him."

Byakuya looked back at Gin silently, his eyes curious. Still smiling widely, Gin leaned forward and brought his lips to the consort's ear.

"Shh, don't react too strongly. He might be watching. But, I think it will help you to know that _the baby isn't his_."

Gin's hand touched Byakuya's abdomen and he sent a warm infusion of calming reiatsu into the area. He leaned so that Byakuya could still hear his softly spoken words, but that others passing by could not.

"How do I know this? It is simple, really. You indicated to me that although you don't remember much, you are recalling some things. Am I right?"

Byakuya nodded almost imperceptibly.

"Your transcendence will have wiped out your physical body and all connections with your past. Simply put, all that is left is the soul core, which was cleansed and made over into the transcendent you are now."

_How?_ Byakuya mouthed.

"How are you remembering?" Gin asked for him, "It is something I came across while I was researching the subject of transcendence during our time in Las Noches. I knew that Sousuke was planning to use the hougyoku to become a transcendent being and I wanted to understand the process. He was mainly focused on his own transformation, but I studied the subject more closely to get a better sense of how it worked. I wanted, of course, to disrupt the process in some way, if I could. But I didn't realize how soon he would fuse himself with the hougyoku. I was too late to stop him. Still, there was something I learned that he either didn't or he has forgotten because it wasn't important to him."

Byakuya's heart quickened and he nodded for Gin to continue.

"Listen carefully. You were a shinigami when Aizen used his transcendent soul core to kill you and transform you. But...it looks to me like when you died, you had already conceived a child with _someone else_. That developing child was in reiatsu form and had no body to kill. So, the same power that infused your soul core and made you transcend infused the baby's reiatsu and caused it to transcend with you. The baby is the connection between you and the father, and because the baby still carries the father's genes, some of his reiatsu is feeding you flashes of memory. The tyke isn't sentient yet, so that's why Sousuke didn't sense it. I wouldn't know if you hadn't indicated to me that you were remembering things. That is the only sign of what happened and it is something you have to keep from Sousuke. If he suspects you are remembering things, he will seek to know why, and you don't want that. Instead, you have to make sure that you give no sign."

Gin paused as an orderly walked by the door, then continued.

"When we go to the Seireitei, there will be a group of rebels and you may see people you recognize. You must not let on in front of Sousuke that anyone but he, himself, is familiar to you. Even if you see your beloved Renji, you must not react. And if they try to take you from the king, and he is watching, you must struggle. Do what you have to so that Sousuke will continue to think he has control over you."

Gin cleared his throat and straightened as another orderly appeared and carried a tray of food into the room.

"Ah good," the silver-haired man said approvingly, "His reiatsu has settled, but he does need to eat. Do you think you will be able to, now that you are a bit more comfortable?"

Byakuya nodded and yielded a faint smile.

"He does look better," Aizen said from the doorway as Byakuya picked up his chopsticks and began to work at the meal, "Gin, you are a miracle worker."

"Why, thank you, Sousuke, but all he really needed was a deeper infusion, some coaxing and some food. He will be fine for the trip now."

"Good. We are ready. As soon as Byakuya is finished, we will go."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Vice Captain Abarai!" a male officer called out, "I have been sent ahead to tell you...Tetsuya Kuchiki has reached the camp, sir!"

"Tetsuya?" Renji repeated, breaking into a relieved smile, "Where is he?"

"He will be here in a moment, sir. He and fifth seat Rikichi had some injuries that needed healing first, but they are coming."

"That's great," the redhead said excitedly, grabbing Rukia by the arm, "Rukia, did you hear that?"

"Yes," Rukia answered, smiling, "I didn't know whether or not he had survived. Maybe he can tell us what happened in the evacuation."

"Hopefully," Renji agreed, his smile widening as two young men and a tall black stallion appeared a short distance away from their tent.

"Tetsuya!" Rukia cried, flash stepping to the blue-eyed noble and hugging him tightly.

"Are you a sight for sore eyes!" Renji exclaimed, gripping the noble's hand firmly, then looking up at Arashi, "Hey Fleabag. Good to see you too!"

Arashi snorted and stamped a dainty foot.

"And look what the cat dragged in!" Renji chuckled, "I thought you and the ones guarding the division were decimated. How did you survive, kid?"

"I managed to get under your desk as the building collapsed and Hanatarou came along and dug me out. He gave me peasant clothing and pointed me in the right direction. Renji, it is horrible in the Seireitei. Aizen ordered all upper officers to be executed, as well as all nobles of half blood or more. All lower officers and regular soldiers have to swear allegiance to Aizen or they are killed too. There have been rumors of vicious torture being used to get people to reveal where nobles who escaped went. The fourth division was given amnesty so that they could heal and start the rebuilding of the Seireitei."

"Yeah, we knew some of that," Renji confirmed, "But did you hear anything about the captain commander or Captains Kyouraku or Ukitake?"

"Yes," Rikichi said, nodding, "the captain commander is alive and healing. That's all I know."

"That's okay," Rukia assured him, "It's good we know."

"We're preparing plans," Renji told the two newcomers, "because Aizen is coming to the Seireitei. He has captured Byakuya and made him consort."

"What?" Tetsuya hissed, his eyes darkening dangerously.

"Tetsuya," Renji said, laying a staying hand on the noble's arm, "We have it from an inside source that Byakuya was made over into a transcendent."

"Oh no..." the noble whispered, blanching.

"He's bringing Byakuya to the Seireitei and we are going to try to rescue him. We're planning to use a diversion, an explosion to trigger confusion and kick up a lot of dust. But with you there, your waterforms could help further confuse the enemies and give us cover so we can escape."

"And as Arashi also commands my same powers, he can make the confusion even more profound."

"Good idea! Let's go and run this by Kisuke."

"Rikichi," Rukia said, touching the fifth seat's arm and causing him to startle, "Sorry, I just wanted to suggest you join the scouts as your shikai eagle could be useful for surveillance."

"Um...yeah, okay," the young man said distractedly, still watching as Renji and Tetsuya walked away.

Rukia followed the path of his gaze and smiled.

"You're glad to see Renji, aren't you?" she commented.

Rikichi blushed.

"Oh...actually, I was just...I had never met Tetsuya Kuchiki before. He isn't in the military?"

"No," Rukia said, an amused smile touching her lips, "Tetsuya is head of household security and my brother's bodyguard."

"No wonder he is so stealthy," Rikichi said, shaking his head, "He had me dead to rights before I even knew he was there."

"He and my brother have been close since they were teens. Byakuya trained Tetsuya himself. He is captain level, but is not allowed to serve in the military because of his position as my brother's personal guard."

"But...Captain Kuchiki was captured."

"Yes," Rukia agreed, "When Byakuya left with the other captains for Hueco Mundo, he ordered Tetsuya to remain behind to guard the family and to manage their escape if Aizen's forces reached the Seireitei. Tetsuya was heartbroken at their being separated, but there was no choice. Aizen posed a serious threat, not just to Byakuya, but to all nobles."

"He carried out that threat," Rikichi said sadly, remembering the devastation he had seen, "The noble estates and their council halls were razed. And now, Aizen is forcing the fourth division and the surviving soldiers to rebuild everything the way he wants it, and as quickly as they can."

"He wants to erase the signs of war and make everyone accept the new reality," Rukia said darkly, "But he is going to find that even though he got this far, he has still not won. Ichgio survived and so did Kisuke Urahara and others who can help us. It is not over, Rikichi. We are going to fight back."

"I want to fight too," Rikichi said in a determined voice, "Whatever use I can be..."

Rukia watched, noting how the brown-eyed youth seemed to deflate slightly as Tetsuya disappeared into the distance. She thought for a moment, then brightened suddenly.

"What is it, Miss Rukia?" Rikichi asked, looking at her curiously.

"I think I have an idea how you can be helpful!" Rukia answered, grabbing his arm and dragging him in the direction Renji and Tetsuya had gone, "Come on, we have to catch up to them before they go!"

"Eh, Miss Rukia, what are you...? Miss Rukia!"

"Come on, quickly!"


End file.
